


Moonlight

by Iriya



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Death, Drama, F/M, M/M, Male Slash, Multi, Polyamory, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-11-22 08:05:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 51,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/607647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iriya/pseuds/Iriya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's sixth year comes to an end and he and his friends are rushed to number twelve, Grimmauld Place because of Voldemort's attack on wizarding families who are not willing to join him. Many of Harry's classmates are on the run to faraway places but not everyone is lucky enough to escape. On one evening Remus Lupin and Arthur Weasley arrive in the headquarters with an injured girl who sparks Harry's curiosity.</p><p> </p><p>  <b>On hiatus.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Trailer

**Author's Note:**

> I started this story a couple of years ago and suddenly uni and life got more important than finishing the plot. I hope to find the spark again that will help me finish this story. Maybe some readers can help me. So far I've written 16 chapters. I once had a betareader but I can still find mistakes and if you do, please feel free to tell me.

** Trailer **

 

**Black screen.**

**A flash light illuminates Hogwarts at night.**

**The camera is zooming in a window, gliding through the glass and showing Ginny Weasley sitting in front of the fireplace.**

**She is reading the Daily Prophet.**

**Zoom on the outstanding headline: “Attacks on Wizards”**

****  
\----------  
  
 **Flourish:** The second wizarding war is approaching...  
  
\----------  
  
 **A flash on dying wizarding families.**

**A flash on destroyed houses.**

**Zoom on Ginny’s unsettled face behind the Daily Prophet.**

****  
**\----------**  
  


 **Flourish:** and everyone starts to panic.

 

\-----------

**The students of Hogwarts are hurriedly being taken to the station of Hogsmeade.**

**Dumbledore looks worried.**

**Zoom on the worried faces of Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron.**  
  


 **A flash on the backside of a girl with long, dark blond hair.**  
   
\----------  
  
 **Flourish:** Only those who are hiding...  
  
\----------  
  
 **Ginny, Hermione, Harry and Ron are running towards Grimmauld Place.**  
  
  


 **Remus Lupin, Severus Snape and Mr Weasley are checking the street before following.**  
  
 **\----------**  
  
 **Flourish:** can survive.

 ****  
\----------  
  
 **Death Eaters are attacking a house at night.**

**Screams can be heard followed by curses.**

**A flash on two dead adults.**

**A girl is running upstairs in panic, trying to hide in her room.**

  
**Voldemort’s laugh can be heard.**  
  
\-----------  
  
 **Flourish:** Sacrifices are made...  
  
\-----------  
  
 **Members of the Order of the Phoenix are placing an injured girl on a bed.**

**Hermione is crying next to her.**

**Harry asks: “Who is she?”**

**Lupin puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.**

**  
****\------------**  
  
 **Flourish:** and friends.  
  
\------------  
  
 **Harry and the girl are sitting together on a sofa in the drawing room at Grimmauld Place.**

**A flash on their joined hands and smiling faces.**

****  
\-------------  
  
 **Flourish: You have to be careful whom you consider your friends...**  
  
 **\-------------**  
  


**Zoom on a laughing Hermione.**

**A flash on a gloomy looking Ginny.**

**Zoom on a furious Ron.**  
   
\-------------  
  
 **Flourish:** and your foes.  
  
\-------------  
  
 **Zoom on an embittered looking Draco Malfoy.**

**Voldemort’s laugh can be heard again.**

**  
****\-------------**

**Flourish:** But you can face the danger only together.

****  
**\-------------**  
  
 **Harry is embracing the girl.**

**Draco is standing next to him, wand raised and shouting at Voldemort whose shadow can only be seen: “Over my dead body!”**

**Hermione and Ron standing behind them are looking at him speechless.**

**Green and red light is flashing before the screen gets dark.**

**The sceam of the girl can be heard: “NO!“**

**  
****\-------------**

**Flourish:** The war is only the beginning.

 

\--------------

**It is quiet and the full moon is illuminating the dark sky.**

**Zoom on Draco holding an unconscious and bloody Harry in his lap.**

**\--------------**

**Flourish:** Moonlight

 

\---------------

**A wand in the hand of a girl illuminates the last flourish.**

\---------------

**Flourish:** The adventure starts in December 2012!  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd appreciate constructive criticism, comments, ideas and if you're interested to read the rest of the story. Thanks for reading anyway.


	2. Prologue

There had been already alarming reports in the _Daily Prophet_ about attacks on Muggle-born wizards and witches, Ginny thought while sitting in front of the fireplace of the Gryffindor common room, reading the news, but it was new and scary that there were now attacks directed on pure-blood families as well. She folded the paper with shaking fingers, putting it aside. It was already late and she should have been in bed by now, but she couldn’t find sleep with this growing fear in her heart.

 _How low could the world go_ , she thought. _Why did Fudge hesitate for so long to take measures? We couldn’t have had a much more incompetent Minister for Magic in these days._

Hopelessly, she put her face in her hands when she felt tears gathering in her eyes. She felt scared by thinking of how worse it was soon going to be. Did she have to be worried about her family? She would loose friends because of the Death Eaters, and just thinking about it gave her the creeps.

_We all are going to die if there’s nothing we can do… Oh, I wish I was born in a different and peaceful time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd appreciate constructive criticism, comments, ideas and if you're interested to read the rest of the story. Thanks for reading anyway.


	3. Flight to the Headquarters

Before you worry about the peace on earth,  
try to fix your own world at first.  
This can be a life-task.

_~ Peace by Annegret Kronenberg ~_

 

Harry Potter was woken on the thirtieth of June by a clacking noise against the window, but before he could drag himself out of bed to answer the owl, out of the corner of his eye he saw his best friend Ronald Weasley getting up, letting the bird in. Casting a glance to the other beds he noticed Seamus, Neville and Dean being still asleep. Ron had opened the window for Hedwig and was now walking around his bed. When he saw Harry awake, he lifted his head, grinning.

“Morning, Harry. A letter from Remus,” he said, sitting down on Harry’s duvet.

“Open it,” Harry said, sitting up.

Ron unrolled the small paper while Harry gave Hedwig some owl nuts after she had sat down on his bedside table.

 

_Dear Harry,_

_Tomorrow we are going to pick up you, Hermione, Ron and Ginny from the train station and then go straight to the Bright House. We deem it best since these alarming reports in the Daily Prophet. You’re all going to stay the whole summer holidays in the house where you’ll be safe._

_I wish you all a good journey home. Give my regards to the others._

_Remus_

 

Ron had been reading in a hushed tone and then looked at Harry. He returned the look, nodding.

“I think it’s the best we can do.”

“Yes, mate. Have you seen Ginny? She was looking so down when she read the news; I think she’ll be happy to enjoy her holidays in the Bright House,” Ron said, his mouth a thin line.

“Let’s go meet the girls,“ Harry suggested, getting out of bed and grabbing some clothes.

“Okay.”

Tiptoeing, they went to the stairs, going down to the common room. They were just climbing up the stairs to the girl’s dorm when Ron turned around, seeing his sister lying on the sofa. With long strides he reached her, noticing the crumpled _Daily Prophet_ on the floor. Ginny was still asleep but there were lines of grief and worry on her features. Harry had come closer, casting a worrisome glance at him.

“I bet she couldn’t fall asleep again,” Ron said, patting Ginny’s hand. “I have got the feeling that she’s again dreaming of Riddle.”

“Poor Gin,” Harry said. “Stay here, I’ll get Hermione.”

With that he climbed the stairs to the girl’s dorm, tricking them with a charm he and Ron found out a while ago to be able to visit the girls. When he came back later with Hermione, they saw Ginny awake, leaning against Ron’s shoulder.

“Good morning,” Hermione said.

Ginny and Ron lifted their gaze to her, returning the greeting. Hermione and Harry sat down in the two armchairs opposite them and then Harry read Remus’ letter to them.

At the mentioning of the Bright House, Ginny was reminded of the last two years they had been spending with cleaning Sirius’ home during their summer holidays, getting rid of the junk and bugs, so it was habitable. Last summer they had been able to clean it thoroughly from top to bottom and to decorate the rooms. It had become a very comfortable house. Even the portrait of Mrs Black was removed from the wall with a strong separation charm, but they hadn’t taken down the Black family tapestry. It had been restored and was now showing no burns any more.

Ginny was happy to go back again this summer. She liked the house full of people who were dear to her and standing up for the same intentions in this war.

Ron noticed her dreamy expression and she was looking at him bewildered when he suddenly hugged her.

“Hey, Ron, it’s all right. Don’t you worry about me,” she growled playfully, wriggling out of his arms.

Her gaze fell on Hermione who was resting her chin in her palm, staring at a stain on the carpet.

_She must be thinking of her parents_ , Ginny thought. _Surely, she’s worried if she’s going to see them this summer, now that we’ll be hiding at Grimmauld Place. Luckily, Dumbledore placed a Fidelius Charm on their house, so no Death Eater is going to find her family._

She looked at Harry who was grinning at Ron because he was so caring about his sister, and felt heat rising in her cheeks. She was still somewhat in love with him, although she had already confessed to him and had been rejected. She knew he liked her the way he did Hermione, like a close friend. Sometimes she wondered, why he didn’t want a girlfriend, and then it struck her that he would worry too much about her. Since Sirius’ disappearance, Harry was much more afraid of losing dear friends and not being able to deal with the loss.

“I like Remus’ letter,” Hermione said, coming out of her thoughts.

Harry, Ginny and Ron looked at her.

“We’ll be safe,” she said.

“Yes, it’s good to stay there,” Harry replied, not knowing what else to say.

His thoughts seemed to be elsewhere, too, Ginny assessed.

“Let’s go have breakfast,” Ron suggested, as footsteps of other Gryffindors could be heard on the stairs.

They nodded in agreement, leaving the common room together.

**  
**~*~

The next day around the same time, they were sitting in the school carriages on their way to Hogsmeade Station. It was a nice warm day in July, the sun was shining bright in the azure firmament and a light breeze was blowing. The heat was wafting through the carriage and Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny sat close to the windows, trying to cool their hot faces with the light breeze outside.

Yesterday evening they had been having their last feast for this school year; Ravenclaw had won the house cup and they had reached second place, and this morning they had enjoyed their last breakfast in the Great Hall. Every time it was a strange feeling to leave Hogwarts for two months, because its magical shields provided some safety, and for many older students it had become a second home.

After reaching the station, Harry looked up wistfully to the huge castle that was located atop a cliff, its banners beckoning to him. Hermione pulled him along to the Hogwarts Express where all the students were pushing each other to get seats in the best compartments. Here and there owls were screeching, cats were chasing through the legs of the children and prefects like Hermione and Ron were taking care of helping the younger students to find a seat. Ginny and Harry went looking for a free compartment and after having found one, waited for their friends. Soon Ron joined them, sitting down opposite of Harry.

“Where’s Hermione?” Harry asked.

“She’ll be here in a moment. Still talking to a girl from Ravenclaw,” Ron said, opening the window. “This heat is unbearable.”

Meanwhile, Harry opened the door a crack to look into the corridor to see if it was still crowded. It was nearly empty, so everybody seemed to have found a seat, and when he looked to his left he saw Hermione standing some feet away from him. She was talking to a dark blond, long-haired girl. He didn’t recognise who it was because he could only see her back. According to Hermione’s smiling face and gestures, he could tell that they were getting along very well. Harry closed the door and stretched his arms. He wanted to be back to London as soon as possible and take a refreshing shower.

 

Hermione didn’t come back soon as Ron had told them, she stayed away for two hours, and Harry couldn’t see her anymore when he checked the corridor again. The time she joined them, she started constantly chatting about the information she was able to get for the Potions homework, and Ron was relieved to have dropped this subject. However, Ginny started to think of the owl, that was going to bring the results of the OWL’s, with mixed feelings.

At lunchtime, the witch with the tea trolley passed their compartment and they all bought ice cream and chocolate frogs. The closer they got to London, the warmer it got in the compartments. Hermione and Ginny asked the boys to leave, so they could change into normal clothes, and then they let them in again, giving them some privacy for changing. The heat was slightly more bearable in T-shirts and shorts. Hermione and Ginny pulled their hair up into a ponytail, and Ron and Harry tried to cast cooling charms.

“Are you already looking forward to your birthday, Harry?” Ginny asked, who was leaning against the open window.

“Sure! I can’t wait to be able to use magic outside Hogwarts and to learn Apparition,” Harry said, being jealous of Hermione who could already do so.

Since March Ron was allowed to use magic outside school as well, but he had promised Harry to wait with his test for Apparition until his friend turned seventeen.

Hermione was skilled in Apparition; she had shown them on a Hogsmeade weekend after the Christmas holidays, which she had been spending at home to take her test in the Ministry of Magic. This summer Harry and Ron would take their test, too, and Ginny was already jealous of them, because she was the only one apart from them, who still had to wait a year.

“Look, the first houses of London,” she said.

She leaned a bit outside and the wind caught her vivid, flaming red ponytail.

“It’s about time,” Ron said, fanning his face with his hand.

Hermione had joined Ginny at the window, looking outside. As the Express pulled into the station, her eyes widened.

“My parents! My parents have come, too! I can’t believe it!“ she shouted happily.

“And there’s Tonks and Remus!” Ginny exclaimed as well.

“It’s even Mad-Eye Moody. Geez, we don’t need a delegation,” Ron said as he looked outside.

“And Mum and Dad!” Ginny said, ignoring him.

Harry had risen and was taking down his suitcase from the luggage rack. He helped Ginny to get her trunk down as well, while Ron was trying to calm Pigwidgeon, who had joined in the jubilation. Crookshanks hissed annoyed, and Hermione was the first to leave the compartment. Harry grabbed Hedwig’s cage, while she was clacking her beak and glaring at Pigwidgeon, who however was ignoring her. Ron followed Hermione, and he and Ginny left last to join the clutch of students as well, who were gathering on platform nine and three quarters. Outside, they found Hermione and Ron already embraced by their parents. Remus and Tonks turned to Harry and Ginny, giving them a warm welcome. Then Mrs Weasley hugged and kissed her daughter, and Remus put an arm around Harry as if having a son back. Harry was glad that he still had Remus. He had become the best comfort for him after the disappearance of Sirius, and he seemed to have unconsciously taken over the role of a father and godfather at once. Tonks, whose hair was today pitch-black and at shoulder’s length, was shaking Ron’s hand enthusiastically and then went over to Hermione and Ginny. Alastor Moody stayed in the background, keeping a watchful eye on the people, who surrounded them.

After Mrs Weasley had finished making a fuss about her son and Harry, Remus, Mr Weasley, Mr Granger and Moody took the suitcases, and Ron, Hermione and Harry carried their animals through the barrier.

As usual, it was a twenty minute walk to Grimmauld Place, and the novel appearance of the headquarters didn’t surprise them no longer, after it had shoved its neighbouring houses out of the way. Last summer, Hermione and Ginny had cleaned its smudgy windows, and Remus, Harry, the twins, Ron and Mr Weasley had painted the outer walls with new black paint. The silver knocker had been polished and the worn set of front steps had been repaired. The dustbins of number eleven stank as always, and though it was only seven o’clock in the evening, the street was empty and no neighbours to be seen. Harry was surprised that Mr and Mrs Granger were allowed to enter this time as they went one by one into the grand entryway of the house. After all, they were no wizards and usually no Muggle was supposed to get to see magical things, but because their daughter was a witch, it didn’t seem to matter. Prattling, Mrs Weasley led Tonks and Mrs Granger downstairs to the house’s kitchen, while the others carried the suitcases upstairs. On their way to the first floor there was no more the portrait of Mrs Black with its moth-eaten curtains, and the row of house-elf heads, mounted on the wall on plagues. They had been able to remove them last summer. Even the stairs didn’t creak anymore, and when Remus and Moody put Ron’s and Harry’s suitcase in their room on the second floor, they were not in awe anymore of the light blue paintwork they had given it. The empty portrait had been removed as well, being replaced by a poster of the Chudley Cannons.

Mr Granger and Mr Weasley put the trunks of Ginny and Hermione in their room on the first floor, that was no longer in a dull grey but a warm yellow paint.

“Ah, it’s so nice here,” Ginny said thrilled, after both men had gone and Hermione had closed the thick purple curtains. “Even my bed smells of home,” came her muffled voice from the pillow.

Hermione laughed heartily. However, she was wondering whether Sirius would have liked the way the house looked now.

“Yes, we did a great job,” she said, scrutinising the room. “Let’s go down to the kitchen –“

 

CRACK!

 

She couldn’t finish the sentence because she was pushed to the floor. Frightened, Ginny looked up and was laughing the next moment when she saw her brothers Fred and George lying on Hermione.

“Fred! George! Get off me!“ Hermione shouted angrily. “Why can’t you use the stairs like every normal person does?”

“Sorry, Hermione,” Fred said, standing up. “But you know we don’t belong to the normal kind of people.”

“Right, and because time is worth galleons, we’re saving it by apparating,” George explained, helping Hermione up.

Hermione glared at them, setting her arms akimbo.

“You both are impossible,” she said, shaking her head.

The twins ignored her, walking over to Ginny to give her a joyful hug and tickle her.

“Did you miss us, Gin?” Fred asked. “Because we’ve invented lots of new stuff for the joke shop.”

“That you might like to try out,” George said.

“Free of charge just for you.”

“And without risk.”

“Really?” Ginny laughed. “I’d like to.”

“Can’t we just go downstairs for dinner?” Hermione asked, standing at the door.

“Yeah!“ they answered, climbing from Ginny’s bed.

Hermione disappeared on the corridor, meeting up with Harry and Ron on the stairs.

“Do you know how long your parents are going to stay?” Harry asked as they walked down to the ground floor.

“Yes, Dad said they’ve been invited to stay a week,” Hermione said thrilled.

“I wonder what’s there for dinner,” Ron said behind them.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“Where’s Kreacher, by the way? Is he still sneaking around here?” the redhead asked.

Sighing, Hermione made a sad face.

“Your mum said he’s died last winter. He must’ve been quite old already.”

“Hey, don’t be sad,” Ron said, putting his hand on her right shoulder. “There’ll be finally no-one around calling you a mudblood. All these foul words he said always made me see red.”

Hermione didn’t know if she was supposed to feel sad or relieved.

“Maybe you’re right, Ron,” she said in a low voice.

They reached the kitchen, crowded with all the adults that lived in the house at the moment. It smelled of lentil soup and mixed salad.

“Of course I’m right,“ Ron said, squeezing Hermione’s shoulder gently.

“There’re not only nice elves, Hermione, and Kreacher definitely belonged to the foul sort,” Harry agreed because she was still looking sombre.

Finally, Hermione nodded and she sat down on a chair next to Tonks. Ginny and the twins were now coming down the stairs as well and dinner started at once. As always, Tonks amused the girls with various noses she could assume because of being a Metamorphmagus, Mrs Weasley explained the house and the purpose of the Order to Mrs Granger, and Ron’s father asked Mr Granger everything about Muggle technology. Moody sat there uninvolved, slurping his soup, Fred and George were whispering about joke items, and Ron told Harry his plans for the summer holidays. Remus just sat there smiling and watching the others.

Soon dinner was over and the pudding appeared on the table. It was apple crumble.

“Charlie and Bill took leave and will be joining us in two weeks,” Mrs Weasley said and Ron, Ginny and Hermione pricked their ears. “They said they want to stay with us in these horrible times.”

“Kingsley asked if he can come and have dinner with us tomorrow,” Mr Weasley said to his wife.

“Only if he knows how to behave,” she said sternly but smiling.

 

It was around eight when all adults made themselves comfortable in the exquisite drawing room on the first floor and the twins joined Ginny in her room. Hermione followed Ron and Harry into their room on the second floor. It was warm and stuffy in here and Ron opened a window while Harry was taking his pyjamas, vanishing in the bathroom. Hermione took his _Standard Book of Spells Grade 6_ and started reading it, while Harry came back and Ron left. He sat down next to Hermione who looked up at him smiling, blushing softly as she saw his shirt standing slightly open. But he could have looked much more gorgeous and she would still think of him as her best friend, the same as Ron. She, on the other hand, found someone much more interesting than them, and everytime she thought of him, she could feel her fingers tingling.

When Ron came back, Hermione shut the book and they spent some time talking. It was getting darker and cooler outside which was quite pleasant. Around eleven Hermione bid the boys good night and went downstairs to her room. Clad in her nightdress, Ginny was sitting on her pink duvet, immersed in _Self-Defensive Spellwork_ , a book they had used in the Room of Requirement. The voices in the drawing room had already quieted down and when Hermione crossed the corridor to go to the bathroom, she met Remus and Mrs Weasley who had their bedrooms on the same floor.

“Good night,” she said, waving at them.

“Sleep well, Hermione,” Remus replied, disappearing in his room.

“You too, Hermione,” Mrs Weasley said, opening the door to the bedroom she was sharing with her husband.

Stretching her arms, Hermione went into the bathroom to have a cool shower, hoping to get rid of the heat of the day. Then she brushed her teeth and rushed through the candle-lit corridor back to her room. When she entered she saw that Ginny had left one candle lit, while lying stretched out on her bed. Crookshanks had curled into an orange fur ball on a sofa cushion at the end of Hermione’s bed, purring softly as she stroked him. She extinguished the candle with her wand and opened the window a crack for the cool evening air to get in.

“Night, Gin,” she said into the darkness, snuggling into her covers.

“Niiiiight, Mione,” Ginny yawned and soon sleepy silence reigned the room.

Contentedly, the girls fell asleep, both being happy about spending their holidays with their friends at a safe place and knowing that they were not alone in these horrible days. Relief and silence spread through number twelve, Grimmauld Place, and soon everyone was in deep slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd appreciate constructive criticism, comments, ideas and if you're interested to read the rest of the story. Thanks for reading anyway.


	4. Alarming News

Violence, over and over,  
within living memory – violence.  
I despise it.  
It suffocates me.  
Violence took away my dearest.  
The gap has never closed.  
There’s nothing to hold on, to lean on, to remember,  
not even a gravestone.

_~ Violence by Annegret Kronenberg ~_

 

The holidays continued with warm weather and Hermione enjoyed the week her parents were staying in the headquarters. When she wanted to go shopping with them, they were accompanied by two members of the Order just for safety because they never knew when they might be attacked. Arthur Weasley and Kingsleys Shacklebolt, who were still working at the Ministry with Tonks, brought daily reports, but mostly it was only about the fact that the newly elected Minister of Magic – Amelia Bones – seemed unable to handle the increasing chaos.

One week after the Grangers had left for home, leaving her daughter in the headquarters, Bill and Charlie Weasley arrived at Grimmauld Place. Ginny, Ron and the twins were absolutely delighted to see them again, overwhelming them with questions.

During dinner they were gathered around Bill and Charlie and constantly asking questions. Bill, who had worked for Gringotts for two years, could only tell that the goblins were in turmoil. They feared Voldemort and were fleeing from him, and only few of them were still working at the Wizarding Bank. He even dropped some words about Fleur, whom he was seeing now for a year and a half,  but then his mother changed the topic in referring to the his fang earring and trimming of his hair, causing the twins to start teasing him, which in turn made Ron and Ginny laugh.

Harry and Hermione were sitting next to Charlie who was talking about Romania and the Dragons that were supposed to be mobilised if there was going to be a battle against Voldemort. While eating his tomato soup animatedly, Harry noticed Hermione to be glued to Charlie’s words, her eyes sparkling. He knew that they were exchanging letters since Christmas but now he had the hunch that Hermione seemed to think much more of him.

_Ron’s not going to like that_ , Harry thought, smirking.

His best friend had been in love with Hermione for two years now but had never dared to tell her. He had even tried to make her jealous by going out with a classmate. If he didn’t hurry, she was going to date Charlie. Harry looked left at Tonks, Mr Weasley, Remus and Kingsley who were whispering in stern voices while the other side of the table, including Mrs Weasley and her children, was talking cheerfully. It was quite a contrast. But Harry didn’t want to know what the adults were talking about, because he could quite guess the topic. It was always the same.

There was a complete mess at the Ministry since pure-blood wizarding families had been attacked as well which had caused the Weasleys to stay at Grimmauld Place and not the Burrow. Every day new missing person reports were posted or the _Daily Prophet_ announced new death notices, and when they could get their hands on a newspaper, they were always anxious to find familiar names.

 

That evening, the professors McGonagall and Snape arrived and there was again a meeting which Ginny wasn’t allowed to join as the only one because she wasn’t of age yet. (Harry wasn’t of age as well, but they couldn’t exclude him, of course.) They kept talking about defensive plans for the Muggle and Wizarding families, studying death notices and missing reports, and debating about meetings with foreign wizards. Hermione gasped as she read familiar names in the reports. The Creevey family was missing and the name of Hannah Abbott was standing in the death notices. Pale-faced, Hermione sank onto a chair, feeling Charlie’s hand instantly on her shoulder. It was terrible to know how it felt that someone you knew was dead. Hannah had been a member of Dumbledore’s Army and a nice Hufflepuff girl. Last year she had done a lot for their Defense Association, being always a helpful classmate as only the Hufflepuffs could be. Harry patted Hermione’s hand and she looked sadly at him.

            “Why’s it always the innocent?” she asked. “Why?”

“I don’t know, Hermione, maybe because they possess something the evil ones don’t,” Harry said, resting his chin in his hand.

            “How many will be left of us when we go back to school?” Ron said, from the corner of his eye glaring at the hand of his older brother resting on Hermione’s shoulder.

            “Don’t worry so much,” Bill said who was sitting next to Ron. “Even if there’re already dead people doesn’t mean that the whole school will be eradicated. We’ll make sure of that. We’ll help the Muggles and Wizards to defend themselves. That’s what the Order is for.”

Even after those encouraging words, the three friends didn’t feel cheered up. The incidents were too alarming and the cause too menacing. Tonight they went to bed with mixed feelings.

 

About one week later, Mr Weasley, Remus, Kingsley, Bill, Charlie and Alastor Moody bid the children, Mrs Weasley, Snape and Tonks farewell. They wanted to implement their plan in helping the endangered families. It was a cool evening, the temperatures had gone slightly down and clouds were passing by in the dark sky. Grimmauld Place was quiet when six wizards went up soaring on their brooms, becoming grey dots against the sky, disappearing behind the clouds.

 

~*~

In the next following days apprehension and uncertainty about the others were visible on the faces of the ones staying at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Although, the twins tried to cheer up the others with their joke items they brought from the shop, they got pointed remarks from Snape (who dropped in more often), and their mother warned them that she would throw them out if they kept on attacking the kitchen with _Wildfire Whiz-Bangs_. The nineteen year olds didn’t actually believe in her words, but from then on they kept to themselves in their rooms. Hermione tried hard not to worry too much about Charlie, therefore she sat down in the drawing room reading a book, but Harry noticed that she was staring unseeingly at the pages until he asked her whether her book was interesting. She hastily turned the page, trying to reassure him it really was.

 

Ginny spent most of the time with Hermione in the room of the boys where she played chess and gobstone, trying to get closer to Harry somehow. She hoped that he might think about it again despite all his worries about having a girlfriend because he was now at this age where girls were interesting for boys. Her hope was that he would soon see her differently. That’s why she was putting so much effort in his birthday party. It was supposed to cause a good atmosphere and to give the dull daily life some colour. She had asked everyone in the house if they wanted to lend a hand in helping her with the preparations, and she met their approval which motivated her even more. She hadn’t dared asking Snape because she still didn’t know whether she had gotten an OWL in his subject, but by means of his face she could tell that she didn’t do well.

On the twenty-first of July she was reaffirmed when an owl came with the letter from Hogwarts, bringing the OWL’s. Ginny was happy that she had managed eight, but at breakfast her mother was complaining about why she failed Ancient Runes and Astronomy with “Poor”. Although, feeling uncomfortable with Potions, Snape had given her an “Acceptable”. Being in this good mood she suggested to go shopping in Diagon Alley. Ron agreed immediately because they could visit Fred and George in their joke shop. Harry was easily convinced and Hermione, who still needed a birthday present for him, agreed, eventually.

            “Tonks will accompany you, then,” Mrs Weasley said, while pouring tea in Hermione’s cup. “Just in case.”

            “Cool, Mum,” Ginny said, cheerful.

            “And be careful. Don’t stay out too long. Maybe your father and the others will come back tonight,” Mrs Weasley said, her face tense.  

            “Don’t worry, Mum,” Ron tried to calm her. “We’ll come back safe and on time.”

Mrs Weasley smiled at her youngest son after being so serious.

 

Right after breakfast the girls had changed as it was a sunny and warm day, hurrying down to the kitchen where Tonks, Harry and Ron were waiting for them. They were standing in front of the fireplace and Ron was holding a flowerpot in his hand, filled with Floo Powder. He threw a handful into the ash and green flames sprang up. Ron went inside, shouted “Diagon Alley“ and vanished. Tonks followed him next and after she had disappeared, Harry, Ginny and Hermione went into the fireplace.

            “Dinner will be ready at seven,” Mrs Weasley told Hermione who nodded before vanishing in the green fire.

Harry caught her as she stumbled out of the fireplace at _Madam Malkin’s_.

            “She wants us back at seven,” Hermione told them.

            “Alright,” Tonks said, leading them out of the shop into the alley.

            “Let’s go to Fred and George,” Ginny suggested.

Diagon Alley was filled with wizarding folks who bustled up and down the street. Owls were flying over their heads and sunlight fell onto the cobbled pavement where the twists of the alley made it possible. Although there was this brewing danger outside the alley, it didn’t seem to prevent the people to go shopping.

They went to _Gringotts_ , collected some money and then walked past the _Magical Menagerie_ , until they had left _Ollivander’s_ behind and reached a multicoloured house. The windows were crooked, reminding Hermione and Harry of the architectural style of the famous Muggle Hundertwasser. There was a sign above the entrance that read _Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes_ in big red, jagged letters, and when they entered the shop, they had to push through the crowd of youngsters who were gazing at the displays. The strangest things were standing safely behind glass panels, chuffing and fuming while producing colourful bubbles. Some strange looking items were rattling and ringing on the racks, and at the back of the shop, behind a purple sales counter, stood one of the twins.

            “George!” Ginny exclaimed, rushing to him. “You two have invented new items again.”

George came around the table, hugging his sister and beckoning at the others who had now managed to push through the crowd.

            “Yes. We have a rapid sale. Do you want to see the new Gulp-Clean-Washing Machine?” he asked Ginny.

            “Of course, but where’s Fred by the way?”

            “He’s getting a new load of Canary Creams from the stock. They sell like hot cakes.”

Hermione who was looking around with a wrinkled nose, raised her head when Ron tugged at her sleeve, making a movement with his head towards the door. She nooded, turning with a smile to Harry.

            “Ron and I will be looking for something nice. We’ll see you at _Fortescue’s_ ,” she said.

            “Okay,” Harry replied, watching his friends leave the shop.

He sat down on a nearby stool, which was there to reach the higher shelves, staring at a red box that was three feet away from him. His thoughts wandered to his friends, who were going to buy a birthday present for him, and he smiled to himself. It was nice to know to have friends who tried to treat him. He was happy that they cared for him but the special space in his heart, that Sirius had filled, was still consumed by a deep emptiness and sadness. Of course, his godfather was going to exist in his heart forever but this emptiness was never going to be refilled. Slowly he raised his head to see what Ginny and Tonks were doing, and saw them and George bend over the _Daily Prophet_. Harry rose and walked to them and his gaze fell on the headline of the newspaper.

            “Wizards have been killed again,” he mumbled stunned, scanning the names fearfully.

            “Colin’s father and his little brother! Although his dad is a Muggle milkman,” he heard Ginny gasp. “And the Branstones.”

            “The MacMillans,” Harry said barely audible. “Horrible.”

Shocked he turned away from the Prophet and leant against the counter, glancing at the shop door. Ginny had turned pale, palming her forehead.

            “This is horrible. Plain horrible,” she whispered.

Tonks, who was looking shocked as well, decided to take them outside into the bright sunlight, hoping to cheer them up again. They said goodbye to the twins, who gave them worried looks. As soon as they were outside, Tonks engaged Ginny in a distracting conversation and Harry followed them with his eyes cast downwards. His thoughts were spinning around the news and it was frightening to think about classmates who had been robbed of their life. Even if Harry hadn’t liked Dennis Creevey’s behaviour, who was very similar to his older brother Colin, his death was nonetheless shattering. After all, he had been a member of the DA.

He only raised his head when they reached _Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour_ , sitting down at one of the tables. The sun was shining directly on the bright lemon coloured parasols above the tables, creating a good mood. They didn’t have to wait for long until their ice cream was served and Hermione and Ron approached with shopping bags in their hands. Hermione grinned at Harry who was looking curiously at the bags when she sat down, pushing them out of his view.

 

Together they enjoyed cherry, stracciatella, vanilla and chocolate ice cream and then they sauntered through Diagon Alley until it was time to go home. They used the exit of the _Leaky Cauldron_ because they didn’t want to risk being overheard shouting “number twelve, Grimmauld Place”. Twenty minutes later they arrived at the headquarters, being on time for dinner to which Hestia Jones and Elphias Doge had been invited, too. They were sitting in the kitchen with Snape and Mrs Weasley. Ron’s mum was standing in front of the stove, cooking some delicious smelling soup, Hestia and Elphias were deep in conversation, and Snape was encrossed in the _Daily Prophet_.

            “Oh, there you are,” Mrs Weasley said, when Ginny, Harry and Tonks came downstairs. “Did you have a nice day?”

The report in the _Daily Prophet_ crossed Harry’s mind and he stared at Snape who was holding the paper in his hands.

            “It was okay,” Ginny said who seemed to have had the same thing in mind as Harry. “Fred and George invented something new again.”

            “I just hope they won’t bring it home,” her mother said.

Until dinner was ready, Ginny told her mother everything her brothers had invented, while Harry was leaning against the fireplace to sometimes add his opinion.

Dinner was ready the same moment as Ron and Hermione came downstairs (they had hid the presents), sitting down at the table. Again the same topics came up while eating. Why the wizards had been killed, where Lupin and the others were at the moment and when they might come back, what Dumbledore was consulting with Professor McGonagall and when they would visit. But then, the Weasley twins arrived around eight o’clock and the grim mood became cheerful.

 

When Harry went to bed this evening, he stared at the ceiling, while hearing Ron’s snoring, and thought about his worries that were now plaguing him for days. He thought he would never find sleep until dawn, so he rose and stepped out into the corridor. He was surprised to see the ground underneath change into a grey meadow. He turned around to the door but it had disappeared, now showing him a huge grey house on a dark hilly landscape. Curious he walked towards it because he could see light behind the windows but he hid himself behind a tree, peeping through the window. He saw a man and a woman watching TV and a young girl, maybe his age, sitting in a chair and playing with her small owl. He was about to come closer to the window when he hit his head hard on a low hanging branch, waking up in his bed.

Puzzled he looked around. He could see the pale light of the dawn behind the curtains, knowing that it had been just a dream. He rubbed his head he had hit against the headboard, then hugged his pillow and fell asleep again.

 

~*~

Harry was sleeping quite fitfully for the next couple of days and during the day his scar was burning fiercely. He told Hermione and Ron, even Snape, but only because Hermione advised him to do so. Although, he was improving with Occlumency – Snape gave him lessons one hour every evening to remind him to clear his mind of thought and emotion when he went to bed – Harry still kept on dreaming of the grey house after trying to clear his mind of all emotions.

That night he was inside the house and he became alarmed when he heard screamings. He wanted to turn around but he couldn’t move. Immediately, he realised that he was looking through Voldemort’s eyes, standing in the house which was raided by Death Eaters. But why was the Dark Lord present to kill a wizarding family? Harry had assumed he would leave raids to his loyal servants.

He was now climbing the staircase, seeing a person vanishing behind a door. He pushed it open after reaching it, looking around the dark room that was only illuminated by the stars. His wand lit up and its light fell on a girl who was standing frightened beside a cupboard, her wand shaking violently in her outstretched hand.

            “ _Impedimenta!_ ” the girl shouted and a blue flash went at him which he dodged deftly.

            “ _Crucio!_ ” he said in a strong vicious voice, seeing the girl falling to the ground, crying and convulsing with pain, and he felt his scar burn as if it was on fire.

Drenched in sweat he woke in the dark, touching his burning forehead. His breath was ragged and his mouth felt dry. Ron kept on snoring peacefully as he got up and walked to the windows. He opened the curtain a crack and looked up to the waning moon. He was sure that somewhere, if near or far, this girl and her family was being murdered. Harry could barely remember her face, only her long hair and the pained screaming. Still his mouth felt dry. He turned to the door and left to enter the bathroom opposite the bedroom. He paused in front of the washbasin and turned the tap to take a sip of water. With his wet hands he combed through his dark hair and looked at his face in the round mirror above the washbasin. In the light of the wan moon, that fell through the small window, he looked more pale than usual, though he had gotten a slight tan during June, caused from the visits with Hermione and Ron at the lake of Hogwarts.

Yawning, he left the bathroom and was on his way back to his room as he became aware of noises coming from downstairs. Curious as a typical Gryffindor, he went down tiptoeing, trying to eavesdrop.

How much he longed for an Extendable Ear from the twins now! That’s why he went down quietly, wincing when he saw someone coming out of the shadows of the first floor. It was Hermione, clad in her dressing gown which she had put around her in a loose way.

            “Hey, Harry, did you hear this, too?” she asked, approaching him on the stairs.

Harry gulped as he looked at her. Her dressing gown was half open, revealing the dark blue silk nightdress she was wearing underneath, hugging her curves nicely.

            “Yes,” he replied somewhat hoarsely.

            “I think we should go check who it is,” she said, taking her wand out of her pocket.

            “Good idea,” Harry said and was about to follow her as Hermione paused and turned around, shooing him up the stairs.

            “They’re coming upstairs,” she whispered urgently and they hid in the shadows halfway on the staircase to the second floor.

They could hear many feet coming upstairs, trying to be quiet but only succeeding to some degree. In the light of some lit wands Hermione and Harry recognised the shapes of Mr Weasley, his sons Bill and Charlie, Remus, Snape and Moody whose magical eye rolled in their direction, giving them a sharp look. But he didn’t say a word and followed the others on the dark corridor on the first floor until they reached the room which was Remus’.

            “They’re back,” Harry said excited as soon as the door closed behind them.

            “Yes, but did you see? Remus was carrying someone,” Hermione said firmly, quietly walking down the stairs.

Harry followed her, tiptoeing towards Remus’ room to eavesdrop on the door. They could only hear faint, harsh whispers and the rustling of bedsheets. But then a long moaning went through the room, giving them goosebumps.

            “Careful!” someone hissed.

            “Shut it, Remus, it’s not my fault that she’s injured, but if you want me to help her then we need to undress her.”

They recognised this voice as Snape’s, being followed by a hoarse one.

            “Maybe we should invite our eavesdroppers first, otherwise their ears might fall off.”

Suddenly, the door was opened and Harry and Hermione met the stern faces of the others. Immediately, Hermione took care of her messily wrapped dressing gown and had the decency to look embarrased.

            “Why are you not in bed?” Snape said angrily as Moody shut the door behind them after they had entered.

            “We heard voices and wanted to see who it was,” Hermione replied in a firm voice, meeting the dark eyes of the Potions Master.

Actually, Harry had wanted to tell them how glad he was that they had returned but seeing the grim expressions on their faces he left it at that, looking at the bed. In the light of four lit candles he could see the figure of a girl with long hair and torn clothes. As he approached the bed he saw her left arm bleeding heavily and her T-shirt drenched in blood as well. Remus, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, was looking at him, frowning.

            “Who’s she?” Harry asked.

Hermione had stepped closer and all colour drained out of her face when she saw the girl.

            “Oh, my gosh!” she said, shocked. “Amy!”

            “Amy?” Harry echoed, pondering because this name sounded familiar.

            “That’s Amy Moon,” Hermione said, frowning with worry.


	5. Harry's Jealousy

A life expired,  
there’s already grass on the hill.  
What appeared insuperable,  
seems to be done.

But what’s really nagging

at your broken heart,

stays hidden from the world.

  
 _~ Mourning by Annegret Kronenberg ~_

 

Hermione didn’t avert her gaze from the girl, taking her very pale hand into her own. The dark blond hair was covered in bloodstains and her condition didn’t look good at all.

            “She’s a Ravenclaw, Harry, and our year,” she added somewhat monotonously. “After seven years you still don’t know the names of the people you have in class,” she admonished him.

            “So what? Why’s she here and why’s she hurt?” he asked.

            “Potter, you can find out in the morning, but now it would be more advisable to help her, so go back to bed where you won’t be in my way,” Snape barked at him.

            “Excuse me,” Harry burst out, “this is one of my classmates! Maybe I’d like to help her, too.”

Surprised, Hermione looked at him. Minutes ago he had appeared as if he didn’t know the girl, but his wish to lend a helping hand always surprised her. Especially in this situation.

            “Harry, please go to sleep. You can come back tomorrow but now we have to help her first,” Remus said softly before Snape could flare up again. “Hermione, would you be so kind and help me?”

            “Of course,” she said.

Harry made an unhappy face. He wondered why he was told to go and Hermione not.

            “Alright. If you can manage alone, I’ll be off to bed,“ Moody said, hobbling out of the room.

            “Will you be okay, Severus, Remus?“ Mr Weasley asked, putting a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

            “Yes,” Remus said.

Severus just nodded.

            “Let’s go, Harry, you can see her tomorrow. Go to sleep,” Mr Weasley said, gesturing his boys to follow him, and pulling Harry gently out of the room.

Indignantly, Harry stared back at Hermione, who was leaning with Remus over Amy, and then the door was shut in front of him. Mr Weasley went with him along the corridor and climbed the staircase until they reached the boy’s room where he told Harry again to go to sleep. Frowning, Harry only nodded and would’ve banged the door in rage if Ron hadn’t been asleep.

How could he still be asleep? Hadn’t he heard the noises?

Harry trudged to his bed, lay down and stared up the ceiling. He tried to hear voices from downstairs but there was only silence. Eventually, he fell asleep and forgot what was going on in Remus’ room.

 

~*~

When he woke the next morning, he saw Ron already standing in front of the wardrobe.

            “Morning, Harry. Do you know who’s come back?”

            “Yes,” Harry said, getting up.

            “Yes?” Ron echoed.

            “Your dad and the others,” Harry replied monotonously, approaching him to choose some clothes.

            “Oh,”, Ron said who was putting on a blue t-shirt. “I met Bill on my way to the bathroom. He asked me to be quiet when I go down to the kitchen.”

            “Might be better to do so,” Harry said, putting on a jeans and a red shirt.

            “And why?”

            “Because your dad and the others brought an injured girl into the house.”

            “What? Who?” Ron asked, aghast.

            “Amy Moon,” Harry replied, walking to the door. “According to Hermione, she’s from Ravenclaw and in our year.”

            “She is. But why’s she here?”

            “I don’t know why. Just ask the others if you see them. I’ll be in the bathroom. See you.”

            “Okay, mate,” Ron said, following Harry when he left their room.

Harry crossed the corridor and disappeared in the bath and Ron went downstairs. On the first floor he met his sister who came out of the room she was sharing with Hermione. She was tiptoeing along the corridor as well.

            “Good morning, Ron,” she whispered. “Have you heard about dad and the others being back?”

Ron nodded.

            “Yes, and Harry just told me they’ve brought Amy Moon along with them,” he said.

            “That’s right. Mum said the same to me earlier. She really scared me as she was standing in front of the door when I went out. Amy must have been injured and now she’s sleeping in Remus’ room.”

            “Really?” Ron said with disbelief.

            “Yes, and Hermione’s still sleeping because she’d been awake when the others arrived and helped Remus because he asked her,” Ginny said, taking her brother’s arm to pull him downstairs.

All the Weasleys, Moody and Snape were already sitting in the kitchen, waiting for the signal to begin with their breakfast.

            “Good morning, everyone!” Ginny said, greeting her father and her older brothers wildly.

            “Where’s Harry?” Mrs Weasley asked who was pouring Earl Grey in the teacups.

            “Bathroom,” Ron replied, sitting down next to Charlie.

            “So he’ll be here in a minute.”

They all looked up when Remus entered the kitchen. He looked weary and exhausted and his light brown hair was falling loosely in his face. He seemed to have changed his clothes because they were clean and proper and not showing stains from a journey. Silently, he grabbed his hot teacup to take a sip. Mrs Weasley handed around the basket with bread and rolls and everyone helped themselves. Then Harry arrived in the kitchen and he was frowning because the silence felt somehow strange to him. Usually the room was full of voices and noises. Ron, Ginny, Mrs Weasley and Charlie raised their head when he approached, sitting down next to his best friend.

            “Good morning!” he said provokingly in a loud voice, seeing some heads rising and feeling Snape’s burning gaze on him.   

            “Good morning, Harry, my dear,” Mrs Weasley said kindly but even her voice sounded restrained.

Ginny, the twins and Mr Weasley were smiling at him but soon enough their eyes were fixed again on their breakfast.

            “Why is everyone so quiet?” Harry asked, smearing a heavy amount of jam on his roll. “Is there nothing to talk about? Where have you been for so long? Charlie?”

The man looked at him uncomfortable.

            “We, err... um,” he stammered. “You don’t want to know, Harry. Just enjoy your breakfast.”

            “Is Hermione still asleep?” Harry said inquisitive.

            “Yes,” Ginny said curtly.

            “Did she stay long with Amy?”

Some of them spluttered into their tea, others stopped eating. Many pairs of eyes fell on Harry, looking sternly, surprised or angry (like Snape) at him. Remus sighed and put his roll on his plate.

            “What do you want to know, Harry?” he asked and when Harry looked at him, he could see the weariness in his grey-blue eyes.

            “Where you’ve been and what you did,” Harry replied.

            “We went to warn those wizarding families which we knew they might be a possible target of Voldemort’s Death Eaters,” Mr Weasley intervened.

            “We could help some escape but sometimes we were too late,” Charlie added.

            “Like the Creeveys,” Ginny whispered softly.

            “Yes, we didn’t expect it because only their children are wizards,” Charlie said with sad eyes.

            “Or the MacMillans,” Harry added.

Mr Weasley, his two older sons and Remus nodded.

            “But why’s Amy now here?” Ron asked, curiously.

            “She sent me an owl, writing she’s noticed strange things going on around her home and she asked me to come and check on it,” Remus said and coughed as if the answer was difficult for him. “But we were too late.”

He lowered his gaze and Mr Weasley continued. Remus was now looking more than stricken.

            “Yesterday evening we arrived at the house, that’s far away from big Muggle towns, and were shocked to meet Death Eaters. I couldn’t recognise their faces because they were wearing their white masks. Anyway, we faced them and they were shocked as well to see us. Of course, they attacked us, we got a couple of injuries from some curses but it wasn’t so bad, and when we were able to fight our way into the house we only found chaos.”

He paused and looked at Bill who had been quiet all the time.

            “We found the Moons dead in their living room. Mrs Moon was still holding her wand in her hand. She must’ve sensed they were going to be attacked. Then Moody told us he can see someone on the first floor and so I went upstairs and found Amy lying injured in her room. She was holding her wand in her hand as well and was constantly telling us in a desperate voice that the Dark Lord had been in the house, too. We hadn’t seen him when we reached the house. Because of her injuries we couldn’t leave her in the house, of course, and so Remus took all her important things and we used a Portkey to reach the headquarters,” Bill told Harry and the others were watching the redhead intently.

Harry was frowning thoughtfully. Could it be that he had seen Amy in his dream?

            “And yesterday when we put Amy in my room, Harry and Hermione showed up,” Remus continued, this time addressing those who didn’t know it. “During the night, Hermione and Severus helped me tending to her wounds. She was in utter shock and so scared that she barely said a word but she must’ve been in great pain.”

He paused and rested his head in his hands.

            “Where has she been injured?” Tonks asked now.

            “She had a long deep gash on her left arm that’s definitely caused by a Cutting Curse,” Snape intervened suddenly.

Ginny and Mrs Weasley gasped. Just to imagine the effect of such a curse gave them shivers.

            “Then she had lots of scratches on her face, a partially fractured rip and a torn leg. Didn’t look well. But I was able to patch her up again, though it would have been done faster in St. Mungo’s,” he said with a stern look at Remus.

            “And why did you not take her to St. Mungo’s?” Harry asked, frowning.

            “Because Remus worried that the Death Eaters might await us at the hospital to finish what was left of her,” Mr Weasley explained who had put a hand on Remus’ shoulder. “After all we had interrupted their ′work′.“

A depressed silence filled the room and they could hear someone rushing down the stairs. All heads were raised when suddenly Hermione entered the kitchen, clad in her dressing gown, turning to Remus.

            “Remus, please hurry, you have to check on her. Professor Snape, I think you too,” she said worried.

Immediately, Remus and Snape rose from the table and Hermione disappeared on the staircase. They followed her but they weren’t the only ones, even Harry and the Weasley children had risen. They couldn’t be stopped by their shouting mother, running upstairs until they reached the first floor. Hermione was blocking the door when they reached Remus’ room.

            “You can’t enter now. Remus and Professor Snape are tending to Amy. They told you about her?” she asked the twins, Ginny and Ron.

            “Yes, they did but we’d like to see her,” Ron said.

            “Yes, those gross injuries,” George said with round eyes.

            “And all the blood,” his brother added.

            “You two are impossible,” Hermione said indignantly. “Of course, her wounds have been dressed and the blood’s gone. But she’s still very weak and she’s looking quite pale.”

Hermione looked sadly to the floor.

            “Why did you call Remus and Snape?” Harry asked, trying to listen at the door but Hermione pushed him aside.

            “Because I heard her shouting and when I checked on her, she was tossing and turning in bed, causing her wounds to rip open again,” Hermione explained.

            “Okay, then we’ll come back later,” Bill suggested, looking at his siblings and Harry.

            “Hermione is right. Amy should rest first,” Charlie said.

Ron, Harry and the twins were disappointed and Ginny looked worried at the door. She followed her siblings back to the staircase. Before she went downstairs she looked over her shoulder at Hermione and Charlie who hadn’t followed and were standing close to each other.

As soon as the others had left Hermione threw herself into Charlie’s arms, pressing her head against his shoulder.

            “I’m so glad to have you back,” she sobbed quietly. “I was so worried about you.”

Charlie, who was seven years older than her, looked softly down on her fragile frame, stroking lovingly over her head.

            “I missed you, too,” he said. “You did a great job last night. I think Remus is relieved that you’re so skilled at mediwizard spells.”

Hermione raised her head and wiped away the tears that were brimming in her eyes.

            “Yes, poor Amy. She looked so... awful. It was a horrible sight to see her so hurt. This war is cruel. It’s always the innocent that pay,“ she said, intertwining her fingers with his.

Charlie sighed, nodding.

            “Yes. But we must stick together and win this war. We’re safe here, please don’t worry so much. Amy will get better soon and then you can start your seventh year together,” he said softly. “So, don’t you think you should better change, or do you want to walk around in your dressing gown all day?”

Hermione blushed and let go of him.

            “Why, no,” she said smiling. “I’ll change.”

Charlie’s eyes followed her as she walked along the corridor and disappeared in her room. Then he looked at the door they had been standing in front of, sighed again and went downstairs to the kitchen.

 

~*~

Severus and Remus stayed for a while with Amy until they left the room again. They were overwhelmed by the questions of the twins, Ron, Ginny and Harry whether they could see her now but Remus told them there was nothing to see because Amy was sleeping. But when the day grew old and Mrs Weasley made some food for the girl, Ginny kept on asking her stubbornly to accompany her. Ron and Harry ran into them in the corridor of the first floor when they were on their way to Remus’ room, asking as well whether they could come with them. They had to promise Mrs Weasley to be as quiet as mice if they wanted to accompany them, otherwise Remus would probably appear and throw them out. Anyway, Harry wondered why Remus was acting so protective. It was only a girl like Ginny and Hermione, just a former student from when he taught at Hogwarts. Ron opened the door quietly so his mother could enter with the soup in her hands, and then he followed with Harry and Ginny into the room, seeing the curtains drawn. Four candles were lit on both sides of the bed, who were illuminating the room, and they could see Amy lying in the bedsheets, her face as pale as a ghost. Her arms were white as well and resting on the duvet. Her left arm was swathed in bandages and her dark blond hair was fanned out on the pillow. Mrs Weasley sat down on a chair that stood next to the bed, handing the soup plate to Ginny so she could wake Amy. Ron and Harry stepped closer, pausing at the headboard of the bed and looking silently at the pale girl who woke up. As she opened her dark eyes, they were dull in the candlelight. Slightly scared she stared at Mrs Weasley and then at Ginny and the boys.

            “Hello, Amy, my dear, I’m Ginny’s mum,” Mrs Weasley said softly. “I prepared some food for you, child, it’ll help you to regain your strength.”

            “Mrs Weasley?” Amy said as she looked back at her, her own voice a hoarse whisper.

            “Yes,” she said smiling. “Come, I’ll help you sit upright.”

She bent forward and helped Amy carefully into a sitting position, while she was leaning on her right arm to lift herself up. Immediately, Harry recognised the check shirt she was wearing. It belonged to Remus. When Amy caught his gaze she pulled the duvet up to her chest and looked back at Mrs Weasley who took the soup from Ginny, stirring it. Meanwhile, Harry dug his fingers into the wood of the bed, hissing at Ron to follow him outside. The redhead looked at him in bewilderment and was surprised to see the glare of his friend. Puzzled, Ginny raised her head as she saw the boys leaving and sat down at the headboard, smiling encouragingly at Amy when her mother helped her with the soup. Outside in the corridor Harry moved away from the door and spun around to face Ron who was looking at him questioningly.

            “What’s the matter, mate? You look like someone’s taken your favourite toy from you,” Ron said jokingly.

            “Quit joking,” Harry grumbled. “Didn’t you notice at all?”

            “No, what?”

            “Well, Amy’s resting in Remus’ room,” Harry said as if Ron was blind.

            “So what?”

            “She could’ve been put in any room. This house is huge, but no, she’s lying in Remus’s bed AND she is wearing HIS clothes.”

            “If that’s the only thing you worry about, Harry. Maybe Remus is just worried about her a great deal.”

            “So, and do you think he’d put you in his bed if you’re injured? Or that he’d give you his shirt?” Harry asked and folded his arms, glaring at him.

            “You know what I think?”

            “What?”

            “You’re jealous, Harry,” Ron said.

Harry looked at him as if he’d gone mental.

            “Nonsense. I’m just stating the facts,” Harry snapped indignantly.

            “Yes, and nobody else,” Ron stressed. “You can’t stand it that Remus, who cared for you like a father after Sirius’ death, is now caring for someone else more than you. You _are_ jealous, Harry, and I say that’s ridiculous. Take a look at the condition Amy is in. It’s not like she’s done it on purpose that Remus cares for her. She definitely didn’t want to be attacked. Remus is helping her of his own accord and now stop snapping at me. If you need answers to your jealousy, just ask him,” Ron said, putting his arms akimbo.

First Harry had been looking angry at him but now he lowered his gaze, thinking about what Ron had said. He was right that Amy hadn’t asked Remus to give her so much privilege, and he scolded himself for thinking that. Maybe it was a good idea to ask Remus why he was caring so much for her.

            “Sorry, Ron,” he said, looking at his best friend who was grinning at him. “I’m an idiot.”

            “Yes, and my best friend,” Ron said, putting his right hand on Harry’s shoulder.

Harry returned the smile and looked up when he saw Remus approaching them. He gave a nod in their direction before opening the door to his room and disappearing behind it.

            “Let’s go eat dinner, I’m starving,” Ron said, turning around to approach the staircase.

            “Yeah, and then I’ll talk to Remus,” Harry mumbled to himself.

            “Will you tell me what he said?” Ron asked.

            “Well, if you’re keen on it,” Harry said, grinning, while they descended the stairs.

 

Remus didn’t come down for dinner, so Harry took a sandwich upstairs as he went back to his room. Mrs Weasley had come back later but the soup in the tureen hadn’t been finished. Amy really didn’t seem to feel well at all. Harry knew that he didn’t eat much, too, when he was ill because his stomach wouldn’t keep the food inside. Quietly he walked along the corridor of the first floor and paused in front of Remus’ room. He listened at the door but couldn’t hear anything. Slowly he raised his hand and knocked tentatively. Harry heard footsteps approaching and then Remus was standing in the door frame, looking at him questioningly.

            “May I come in, Remus?” he asked.

Remus pondered for a while, worry and fatigue written all over his face.

            “Okay, come in, but be quiet,” he said, letting Harry enter.

Remus went over to the same chair Mrs Weasley had been sitting on earlier and gestured for Harry to sit on the chair next to him. Harry nodded and glancing at Amy he saw that she wasn’t looking any different. He thought she looked like a beautiful dead girl. White face and pale lips, white arms and slender shoulders surrounded by dark golden hair. Then he remembered why he had come upstairs and gave Remus the sandwich.

            “You haven’t come downstairs for dinner so I thought I could bring you something to eat,” Harry said, looking at him. “You look pale, Remus, you need to eat and sleep.”

            “Thanks,” Remus replied, taking the sandwich. “I’m fine, Harry, don’t worry.”

He took a bite and while he was eating the silence grew intense in the room. Harry stared at his folded hands lying in his lap and then let his gaze wander. Remus had decorated the room to his taste, even if it was only some furniture. A wardrobe was standing next to the door and a Davenport desk beside it. Opposite the wardrobe stood the light brown four-poster bed with its blue curtains that was next to two windows.

            “How’s Amy?” Harry whispered into the silence.

            “Slightly better,” Remus said.

Again silence.

Then the important question came to Harry’s mind why he was actually here. But he didn’t know how to ask without sounding jealous because he thought of it already silly to feel that way. He looked at Remus who had taken Amy’s hand in his own, touching her forehead.

            “Tell me, Remus, how come Amy’s lying here. In your bed?” he asked, looking at him innocently.

Puzzled, Remus looked at him.

            “Because I wanted to make sure she is comfortable,” he said. “Besides I’d rather look after her in my room because she’s so ill.”

Harry eyed him and noticed that Remus was beating around the bush. He was hiding something he didn’t want to tell Harry but he knew he would figure it out.

            “But she’s just a girl like Ginny and Hermione and a former student of yours,” Harry said, frowning. “She could have been put into any other room.”

            “Amy’s been more than just a student to me. Of course, she could have been put into any other room of the house but she’s more comfortable in here,” Remus said, caressing her hand.

            “What does it mean she’s been more than a student? Do you love her? Is that the reason why she’s wearing your shirt?”

Harry stared at Remus questioningly but he just smiled.

            “Yes, I love Amy. She’s very dear to me, and I gave her my shirt because I didn’t have her clothes at hand at that moment,” he replied in a gentle voice.

            “How long have you known her?” Harry asked, rising with a morose face and leaning against the bedpost.

            “Since the day she was born,” Remus explained, his blue eyes shining. “I’m her godfather, Harry.”


	6. Remus' Worry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to every subscriber!

The soul is crying,  
can’t move its clipped wings,

the caused pain is too much,  
trapped in a drained body,  
without love, without comfort.

_~ The soul is crying by Annegret Kronenberg ~_

            “You are _what_?” Harry asked, looking surprised. “Why did you never tell me?”

            “Because you’re not friends with Amy and sticking together like you do with Ron and Hermione,” Remus explained. “If I was Hermione’s godfather you’d know it but I’m not. I thought it was of no importance to you to know about it because you don’t even know Amy. She is friends with Hermione, and she knows about it. I think she didn’t tell you because of the same reasons.”

Harry turned from the bedpost and started pacing around the room. Then he stopped and looked at Amy who turned to the side, gripping Remus’ hand unconsciously. He was angry to have found out only now, but Remus was right, he wouldn’t have been interested in it because he wasn’t friends with Amy. But that Hermione had been the one knowing everything made him angry again. His best friend hadn’t told him but then he thought about it and realised that he had never asked her whom she was meeting at the library and it might have been Amy, and that it must have been her who she had been talking to on the train. Amy and Hermione seemed to know each other for a long time already because it explained why Hermione had been allowed to help Remus after coming here with Amy.

            “How come you became her godfather? Where did you meet her parents?” he asked after a while, sitting down on his chair again.

            “I knew her mother from Hogwarts. She was two years my senior in Gryffindor, and both of us met many times in the library because she could help me with school work.”

Remus looked gently at Amy and stroked her hair. He sighed.

            “I was in love with Amy’s mother, but it was unrequited. I told her about my illness and she was very shocked. Luckily, she didn’t turn away from me. But I was only a good friend to her. When I graduated from school she introduced me to her future husband and Amy’s father. I never wanted to accept him because I had always wished to be together with her. She knew it and after her wedding she gave me the greatest gift I could ever get from her. She wanted me to be the godfather of her child. When I was twenty, Amy was born and I became her godfather. And now that her parents have died, it’s my duty to be there for her as long as she needs me,” Remus said and went silent.

Interested, Harry had been listening intently and thought it incredible that even Remus was a godfather just like Sirius. Now he could understand why he cared so much about Amy, and he had to smile inwardly at the worries Remus was always having.

            “After Sirius’ death you’ve been a real friend to me, Remus. I got the feeling that you slipped into Sirius’ role because you were so caring to me. But now that Amy’s here –“

            “And nothing will change, Harry. I’ll be there for you whenever you need me. Amy won’t change anything. I think it’ll be good for her to talk to you as soon as she’s awake,” Remus said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

            “Why?” Harry asked.

            “Because she’s been orphaned and maybe it helps her to talk to someone her age who has no parents either.”

            “Remus!” Harry ranted indignantly. “I’ve never known my parents and I don’t remember what it felt like to lose them. I was still a toddler when they were killed. So, how would I know how to help Amy?”

            “Shush!” Remus hissed. “Lower your voice. You’ll wake her – “

But when he looked at Amy he saw her eyes open, staring at them.

            “Oh, Amy, we’re sorry. We didn’t want to wake you. How long have you been awake?“

With an indignant expression Harry stared at the girl who was looking at him with her eyes half open.    

            “For a while,” he could hear her small voice.

It sounded like the whisper of the wind in a tree.

            “How are you feeling?” Remus asked gently.

            “Slightly better,” she replied, looking at Harry. “Hello, Harry.”

Her eyes lit up a bit as she looked at him and Harry felt them penetrating his.

            “Hello,” he said quietly.

She hadn’t looked at his scar and that surprised him because his forehead usually attracted the eyes of others who didn’t know him. Amy looked again at Remus who was gently smiling at her. She smiled back and it lit up her expression considerably. Harry felt a warm gush like water flow through his stomach.

            “Do you think you feel strong enough to have some visitors?” Remus asked and stroked her bandaged arm. “They’ve kept asking for you for quite a while now.”

            “Really?” she said. “Who else is here? I’ve seen Hermione, Ron and Ginny.”

            “Ron and Ginny?” Remus asked frowning and his was voice stern. “When did you see them?”

            “Oh, they accompanied Mrs Weasley when she served me lunch,” she said jauntily, immediately responding to Remus’ stern face. “Don’t worry, Moony, they’ve been very quiet. I’m feeling better, really.”

Harry raised an eyebrow because of Remus’ nickname. Amy seemed to know him very well if she spoke like that, but he was her godfather after all, and Harry guessed that Remus had visited her many times when she was a child. He somehow envied her that she knew Remus much longer than he had Sirius. She had spent much more time with her godfather than he had.

            “You didn’t eat much,” Remus said.

            “Yes, I wasn’t hungry.”

Then she eyed the room.

            “Mrs Weasley told me this is Sirius’ house. This must be your room, then? I can smell it,” she said smiling at him.

Harry could have sworn that Remus was blushing but he wasn’t sure because he turned away quickly and went to the door.

            “I’ll get your visitiors, then,” he said maybe a bit too quickly and vanished.          

            “Okay,” Amy whispered, although he hadn’t heard it anymore.

Harry looked at her and didn’t know what to say. She was lying in bed so helplessly that he took pity on her.

            “Harry?” she asked and he gave her a puzzled look. “Would you be so kind and help me sit up?”

He was surprised how untroubled she was talking to him because she had never spoken to him in the last years, and now she was trying to have a conversation with him as if she had known him all the time.           

            “Yeah,” he said and rose from his chair to help her.

She raised her right good arm and put it around his neck, while he pushed down the duvet, blushing, so he could put his hand beneath her back. She gasped slightly in pain when he pulled her up, and her hand clasped his shoulder, but then she was sitting upright and Harry stuffed her pillow behind her back. When he pulled up the duvet again, his gaze fell on the check shirt she was wearing, finding an undone button. Simply out of reflex his fingers went for it.

            “Hold on, a button is undone,” he said intending to button it.

            “Oh,” she said, looking down and noticing her head being very close to his.

His raven hair tickled her forehead.

            “Thanks,” she said after Harry had finished the button and pulled up the duvet again.

            “You’re welcome,” he said.

He raised his head and looked at her, noticing in the candlelight for the first time that her eyes were a dark green. He was again feeling the warmth spread in his cheeks and he didn’t know why. He jerked back when he heard voices in front of the door and the moment he was sitting down again, Remus entered with the twins, Bill, Charlie, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Mr Weasley. Hermione rushed to Amy’s right side, sitting down on the edge and taking her hand in hers.

            “How are you feeling, Amy?” she asked with a worried expression, while the others gathered around the bed.

George and Fred looked at the pale girl and for the first time the others could see them with serious faces. Mr Weasley stood next to Harry and gently took her hand in his to greet her.

            “I’m Mr Weasley. These are my children,” he said friendly, gesturing to his children.

            “I thought so,” Amy replied smiling.

            “They had to see whom we brought home last night,” he said and the ears of the twins and Ron turned a deep shade of red just like their hair.

Amy smiled at them but the longer she looked at them the more she realised that they were a big family with mother and father and many children, and she lowered her gaze and thought of her own family. Suddenly, tears started to brim in her eyes as she thought of her parents, and fell down on her hands. The first to notice was Hermione who gathered her into her arms, trying to console her. Shocked, Remus looked at Arthur and gestured him to bring the children outside. Ron struggled first because Hermione and Harry were allowed to stay but when he saw Hermione’s pleading eyes he asquiesced and followed his family into the corridor. Amy kept on sobbing into Hermione’s shoulder, holding onto her with her right arm. Harry had risen and was now looking onto the street through the crack of the curtains. He tried to imagine how it had been when his parents died but his memories only surfaced when he was attacked by Dementors and then it wasn’t a nice experience. Sometimes he thought he was hearing or seeing his parents in his dreams but he could never clearly see them and didn’t know how it felt when he lost them.

He could still hear Amy’s sobbing behind him and he cast a sad look at her. The next moment he jerked surprised because something had hit the window. Everyone in the room looked at him and Harry stared outside, seeing a half unconscious owl on the window sill. Remus had come closer and when he saw the bird, he opened the window and grasped it. It was a tousled tawny owl and its dark beady eyes stared at Harry.

              “Orion!” Amy exclaimed and tried to scramble out of bed, but Hermione kept hold of her forcefully.

              “Amy, you shouldn’t get up yet. You’re still too weak,” she said.

Remus smoothed down the ruffled feathers of the owl, carried it to the bed and gave it to Amy. Harry watched as she took the feathery ball of an owl into her delicate fingers, cuddling it against her cheek.

            “Oh, Orion, I thought I had lost you, too,” she sobbed, tears running down her cheeks, wetting the feathers of the tawny owl. “I’m so glad you found me.”

Orion nibbled her fingers affectionately while he was cuddled, hooting softly. Harry approached her and sat down next to Remus who was watching them with shiny eyes. It seemed that the presence of the owl calmed Amy down. She wiped the tears off her cheeks and turned to Remus.

            “Did you take some owl treats with you before coming here?”

Remus gave her an apologising look.

            “No, I’m sorry, I forgot because we were in a hurry.”

            “I have some,” Harry intercepted and Amy’s gaze fell on him. “I own a snowy owl called Hedwig and Ron has Pigwidgeon, so we have many owl treats. I don’t think that they would mind sharing them with your owl.”

            “That’s nice of you,” Amy said in a soft but weak voice. “Would you mind taking Orion with you? He will get bored with me.”

            “I don’t mind,” Harry replied.

            “Thank you.”

There was a knock on the door and everyone looked up. In the next moment Professor Snape entered the room with a steaming mug in his hand, approaching the bed.

            “I’m finished with the potion, Lupin,” he said, eyeing Hermione and Harry, and then the owl suspiciously.

            “Thank you, Severus,” Remus said. “Harry, Hermione, it’s late and you’d better be off to bed. You can visit Amy tomorrow again.”

            “Okay,” Hermione said, hugging her best friend and then got off the bed.

Amy gave Orion to Harry who took the fluffy owl carefully in his hand and followed Hermione suit, who was waiting at the door. Snape glanced at them when he approached Amy before giving the mug to her.

            “You better rest, too, Miss Moon. I brewed you a Dreamless Potion so you won’t sleep fitful and your wounds won’t open again,” he told her matter-of-factly.

            “Thank you, Professor,” Amy replied with a weak smile as she took the mug.

Before Hermione closed the door behind her, she and Harry could see Amy putting the potion against her lips and drinking it all. Then they turned away and Harry looked at his friend.

            “Hermione, will you come upstairs? I just wanted to talk you,” he said.

            “Sure,” she replied, trying to gauge his expression if it was a serious matter.

They went upstairs and entered the room he shared with Ron. The redhead was sitting on his bed and reading the newest issue of the Chudley Cannons. He looked up as he heard them enter, putting his paper aside as he saw Harry’s stern face. Curious he watched his friends.

            “Has Amy calmed down?” he asked and made space for Hermione on his bed. “Why did she start crying?”

            “Ron, her parents are dead, that’s why. She cried because see has seen you. Your big family. She has lost her own,” Hermione replied sombrely.

            “Oh.”

Then Ron’s gaze fell on the owl in Harry’s hand.

            “And who’s that?“ he asked.

            “That’s Orion. Amy’s tawny owl,” Harry explained. “Earlier he knocked himself out against Remus’ window. He reminded me of Errol.”

He grinned.

            “Amy asked me to take him with me because she has no owl treats and he’d be bored by staying with her.”

            “He’s really cute,” Ron said, stroking the owl’s head. “Pig will be excited when he comes back from the hunt.”

Harry, who had sat down on his bed, got up again and put Orion on Hedwig’s pole. Then he took an owl treat out of a package on his bedside table and gave it to him.

            “What did you want to talk about, Harry?” Hermione asked when he sat down on his bed again.

            “About how long you have known Amy now,” he said. “Ron, you seem to know her as well.”

            “Of course, mate, she’s in our year. You should know her, too. After all, she’s our age,” Ron said.

            “You only know her by sight, Ron. I know her better because we’ve met many times in the library, and we have Ancient Runes together. I think starting from third year, we met regularly for our studies.  She helped me with homework when I used the Time-Turner and had so much to do,” Hermione said, leaning back against the wall.

            “I really wondered how you managed, Mione,” Harry said. “So, you’re friends with her since third year?”

            “Yes, you can put it that way. We share interests, she was raised in the Muggle world because her dad was a Muggle, and that’s why I can talk to her unabashed. One day I needed a girl as a friend,” Hermione explained. “But she managed something I’ll never achieve.”

            “What?” Ron and Harry asked curiously.

            “She’s getting along with Malfoy.”

            “What? Really?” Harry asked.

            “Disgusting,” Ron said.

            “But she did. She told me that he danced with her at the yule ball in fourth year. He met her once in the library and they got closer over a homework for Transfiguration.”

            “What do you mean with 'got closer'?” Harry asked, raising a dark eyebrow.

            “Well, it means that Malfoy ignores her being a half-blood, and that’s a big thing because his family is swearing on the purity of blood,” Hermione said matter-of-factly. “Amy said to me he’s quite nice and polite, and while being with her he doesn’t talk bad about us.”

            “Wow, what an improvement,” Ron groaned, rolling his eyes.

            “I think, it’s quite one for Malfoy,” Hermione said.

            “I wonder why Amy has never joined the DA if she’s friends with you? You told her about it, didn’t you?” Harry said sternly.

            “Of course I did, but she was the one who saw to it that Malfoy didn’t disturb our first meetings. She tried to stop Marietta to betray us and had to deal with annoyances caused by Umbridge. Sometimes I met with her in the Room of Requirement and practised spells with her we had already covered,” Hermione said defending Amy.

            “And why hasn’t she joined us last year?” Ron asked.

            “Because Malfoy was much more eager to find us after his father had been imprisoned in Askaban. It was because of us that he was caught. He was aware that Amy knew our hiding place on the fourth floor but it seems he didn’t want to urge her in telling him. He seems to think much of her and admires the loyality to her friends. Amy convinced him many times to stop looking for us –”

            “– which didn’t work because Malfoy attacked Ginny and Luna in March with his Slytherin cronies –” Ron intercepted.

            “– which was of no use because Professor McGonagall resolved the riot,” Hermione continued.

            “I wonder how our last year will be,” Harry said thoughtfully. “Now, that we’ve lost numerous classmates.”

            “Yes,” Hermione agreed. “I’m looking forward to Dumbledore’s speech.”

            “How can you look forward to something this boring?” Ron groused.

            “It’ll be different than usual. It’s the second wizarding war, Ron, and Dumbledore will certainly give us a warning or an advice.”

Ron made a face and watched Orion eating the rest of his owl treat.

            “Do you think Amy will join the DA this year?” Harry asked Hermione.

            “I don’t know,” she said.

            “And since when do you know that Remus is her godfather?” he asked again.

            “Her _what_?” Ron interfered surprised.

            “Her _godfather_ , Ron,” Hermione said calmly, closing his gaping mouth with her finger. “I know since he taught us in third year.”

            “Why did he never tell us?” Harry asked, looking at Ron who was still stunned.

            “Because he didn’t know that Amy told me. I had to promise not to tell anyone,” Hermione explained. “You wouldn’t have been interested anyway. Quidditch was much more important for both of you.”

Ron looked pouting at Harry who was lost in thoughts.

            “Well, I think you’re right, Mione. Amy seems to be okay,” Harry said.

            “She’s okay, Harry. Think of what she’s done for the DA. I think she’d be happy to get along with you. She’s not as difficult as other girls,” Hermione said and grinned knowingly at him.

He assumed she was thinking of Cho who he wasn’t going to see next year because she had graduated this summer.

            “Well, I’ll be off to bed now. I hope I could answer your questions.”

She rose from Ron’s bed, hugged both boys, stroked gently Orion’s head and then went to the door.

            “Good night.”

            “Night, Mione,” the boys said and Hermione closed the door behind her.

As soon as she had vanished Harry grabbed his pyjamas and headed for the bathroom. All the things, Hermione had told him, were circling around in his head, needing to be digested.  

Later when everything was quiet and he and Ron were lying in bed in the dark room, he was staring at the ceiling, listening to Ron’s soft breath. He heard the rustle his friend’s duvet and as he looked over he could see the blue eyes of Ron in the twilight that was coming through the curtains.

            “Do you think we can trust Amy?” Ron whispered, expressing Harry’s thoughts. “I mean, she’s _friends_ with Malfoy after all.”

            “I thought about that too, Ron,” Harry admitted. “But I think we can because Hermione does. She doesn’t confide in anybody easily but if she’s sure about it that someone is honest and trustworthy, then her friendship means a lot.”

            “Well, I think it’s strange that she’s trusting Amy even if she is friends with Malfoy.”

            “Hermione didn’t say they’re friends. She is just getting along with him much better than we do. Trust Hermione, Ron. We can keep an eye on Amy. We don’t know her as good as Hermione does. Maybe she possesses something that makes her trustworthy.”

            “You’re right, mate,” Ron yawned. “Good night then.”

            “Night, Ron,” Harry said, and now that he had talked with Ron about his worries, the feeling of restlessness left him and he fell soundly asleep.

 

~*~

When Harry left the bathroom the next morning to go downstairs into the kitchen, he paused when he became aware of voices coming from Remus’ room. He tiptoed to the door and listened. He could hear gentle and deep laughter that was interrupted by words. He recognised the voices belonging to the twins.

 _What are they doing in there?_ , he wondered because he knew Amy was supposed to rest.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He turned his head and saw Hermione. She was carrying a tray with dishes, a teapot, butter, marmelade and a basket with rolls on it. She had pulled her hair into a ponytail and was wearing blue capri pants and a red t-shirt. She looked undeniably pretty.

            “Good morning, Harry,” she greeted him, smiling. “What’s the matter?” she asked worried by seeing his thoughtful expression.

            “I think Fred and George are in there,” he replied, pointing to the door. “I heard their voices.”

            “What?” Hermione asked, frowning. “Amy is feeling much better, but knowing the temper of the twins they’ll only overexcite her.”

She turned to the door.

            “Would you please open the door for me?”

Harry nodded, pushed down the handle and opened the door. A glance into the room told him and Hermione that the twins were sitting on the bed, making jokes and causing Amy to smile at them. The jolly and cheerful expression on her face caused Hermione’s sternness to vanish, and she entered quickly to approach the bed.

            “Well, you two,” she said, looking at Fred and George, “breakfast is waiting for you downstairs. You better hurry unless you want Ron to eat everything,” she added with a grin.

Amy chuckled and Hermione smiled at her. Her friend was looking less pale and much healthier. She put the tray on her knees because she was leaning against the headboard, glancing at Harry who was standing in the doorway and watching them.

            “Well, let’s go and stop Ron eating all the rolls,” Fred said grinning and rose from the bed.

            “Tuck in, Amy. See you later,” George said, waving at her before disappearing in the corridor.

            “Yeah,” Amy said, grinning.

Her gaze fell now on Harry, eyeing him.

            “Good morning,” she said politely, lifting her hand as a greeting.

But Harry didn’t say anything, just raised his hand and then left.

            “What’s with him?” Amy asked Hermione as she let her hand drop onto the duvet.

Hermione shrugged.

            “I think he doesn’t know yet if he can trust you,” she said, pouring chamomile tea into the yellow floral cup Mrs Weasley had given her.

            “What do you mean?”

            “I told him and Ron about what you’ve done for the DA. By the way, I mentioned that you’re getting along with Malfoy.”

            “You didn’t!” Amy gasped.

            “I did. Don’t you think they need to know _now_? They were already quite shocked to learn that Remus is your godfather,” Hermione said gently, buttering a roll for her.

Amy sighed, pondering.

            “Maybe you’re right,” she said tentatively. “You know, Draco wrote again.”

Hermione paused and sat down on the edge of the bed, holding the buttered roll in her hand.

            “Again? What do you mean with _again_? Since when is he writing you letters?” she asked stunned.

            “Since our departure from Hogwarts.“

Amy looked at her warm teacup, put her cool fingers around it and gazed at the greenish liquid.

           “What did he write?” Hermione asked, finishing the roll.

            “At first very nice things. I already assumed he fancies me. You know that, don’t you?”

Hermione nodded.

            “Well, and b-before… my f-family… w-was k-ki-killed… he wrote me how desperate he is. That his father was abusing him, that he wanted to run away, that he was scared of becoming a Death Eater, and that he didn’t know what to do anymore.”

Hermione was gaping in surprise. Draco Malfoy was _scared_? He _didn’t_ want to become a Death Eater? His father was _abusing_ him? This was definitely too much.

            “I don’t understand… why?”

            “Why what exactly?” Amy asked.

            “Why doesn’t he want to become a Death Eater? All of us think, or thought in my case, that he wanted to be one of them, according to how he behaves at Hogwarts and how he talks about his father.”

            “You know what, Mione, I don’t know much about Draco because he’s not telling me much about himself but I know one thing: that he’s pretending to be someone because it’s expected of him. I think essentially he’s a different person and if he had some freedom he’d show it. But his behaviour is even watched in Hogwarts, people from Slytherin. I imagine a complex system of interpersonal relationships which warrants that the children of the Death Eaters will prove as future candidates of You-Know-Who followers. This starts with the behaviour at school and between classmates and teachers,” Amy said. “I even think that Draco’s not the only one who doesn’t want to become a Death Eater.”

            “Why are you so sure about this?” Hermione asked, handing her the roll.

            “No idea, I can feel it, but maybe it’s just wishful thinking.”

 

During breakfast in the kitchen, Harry noticed the absence of Professor Snape and Mad-Eye Moody, as well Tonks, Kingsley and Mr Weasley, who were working at the Ministry. But he wasn’t interested in asking where they had gone. He was certain it had something to do with the Order.

Fred and George were talking with their mother and Remus about Amy who had been delighted to have visitors, but when they mentioned to give some joke items to her, Mrs Weasley got up and ushered them to the fireplace because it was already past nine and their shop was supposed to be open by now.

As soon as they had left Ron suggested paradoxically that he and Harry could maybe do homework for Transfiguration. Harry thought it was very strange because Ron never made any suggestions that included homework. However, he didn’t disagree, following his best friend into their room. Ron grinned broadly because it had worked. He had made an agreement with Ginny even if doing homework was an unpleasant thing. His friend was supposed to be out of the kitchen, only because his sister wanted to talk to Remus and Mrs Weasley about the decorations for Harry’s birthday.

As they reached the first floor, they saw Hermione leaving Remus’ room. Ron rushed towards her.

            “Good morning, Mione. How is Amy doing?” he asked and Hermione paused before closing the door.

            “She’s feeling slightly better. She doesn’t like the Skele-Gro that was prescribed by Snape for her broken rib.

            “I can imagine how she feels,” Harry said, remembering his second year. “It tastes awful.”

            “She’s asleep again,” Hermione said, gesturing into the room. “She says she feels comfortable here, but she misses her parents. I know Amy; when she’s feeling bad she’s lying awake at night.”

            “How do you know, Mione? I mean, neither are you sharing a dormitory nor are you in the same house,” asked Ron as he and Harry were peaking through the gap of the door before Hermione closed it. “And why’s she lying awake?”

Harry looked at Hermione who was hesitant to answer. She looked at him and saw sympathy in his eyes.

            “Padma told me. Amy is scared of nightmares. That’s why she’s happy if someone comes to visit her in Remus’ room to distract her and cheer her up, so she will sleep peacefully afterwards,” she said, withdrawing from the door.

            “Poor Amy,” Ron said, but Harry had the feeling that Ron couldn’t comprehend it.

On the one hand because he had a big happy family and on the other hand because he had never lost someone dear to him. Harry could sympathise with Amy. After Sirius’ death he had experienced nightmares as well but the support of his friends had encouraged and distracted him enough to sleep more peaceful again. However, it worried him that he could see things from Voldemort’s point of view again. As soon as Dumbledore came back he had to ask him about it.

 

~*~

The next three days spun away and Harry noticed the others whispering whenever he entered the room. He smiled to himself because he knew they were doing it because of his birthday the following day. Especially Ginny seemed to be strangely exhilarated but the moment he wanted to talk to her about it she fled, giggling. To the detriment of everyone, the day before Ron had caught Hermione and Charlie kissing in the upstairs master bedroom, where Buckbeak stayed, and had been fighting with her all day, however never telling her why. But Harry knew that Hermione knew why Ron was behaving that way. In the evening, Charlie had to drag his youngest brother into his bedroom to talk with him about it and since this afternoon there was a silent truce between Ron and Hermione.

Of course, Amy did notice all of this because the twins regaled her every morning at breakfast with the “Weasley gossip”. But as soon as Hermione entered, they rushed out of the bedroom laughing to avoid hearing a lecture. Amy was feeling much better now which could be heard on Tuesday morning when she was having a vocally discussion with Remus about her being able to move to the sofa in the drawing room, so he could sleep again in his bed. However, he couldn’t be persuaded and insisted on waiting till the first of August when they had put a bed into Ginny and Hermione’s room. He didn’t want to let her stay in a room alone at all.

Harry decided to get away from all this and retreated to his room, reading some textbooks. Orion and Pig were chirping cheerfully on their poles.

 

The afternoon became old, the sun was sinking lower and soon Molly was calling for dinner. When Harry went downstairs he met Professor Snape, who was carrying a pepper-up and sleeping potion he was going to give to Amy as usual. There was no emotion visible on the pale face of his teacher as he went past him, stepping into the corridor. He saw the door of Remus’ room open and close, and then went down into the kitchen. Hermione was the last one who joined them at the table. She took her role of bringing Amy food and assisting Remus very seriously, even now when Amy was feeling better and didn’t need much help anymore.

While eating he noticed Ginny throwing him a shy but impish smile. He raised an eyebrow and pondered if that what he was thinking was not the case, what he thought Ginny was trying to do. At the moment he absolutely didn’t feel like having problems with girls. He wolfed down his food and disappeared in his room again. In the meantime, Hedwig had come back and was sitting on his headboard.

            “Hello, Hedwig,” he greeted her and stroked her feathers before lying down on his bed, folding his hands behind his head and staring at the ceiling.

The red of the setting sun turned the bright wallpaper orange, sinking lower with every minute until it was so dark in the room that Harry had to light some candles.

The time passed and Ron came back. But Harry wasn’t really into a conversation with him since he had had this fight with Hermione. He still hoped that Ron got a grip on himself soon so that they could talk normally again and not end up in loud voices. Still it seemed it would take a while until he had accepted that his way of affection for Hermione wasn’t going to be requited.

 

Night fell upon them and everyone in the house retreated to his room. Soon Ron’s snoring was filling the room again and Harry, who couldn’t fall asleep another night, got carried away by his melancholic thoughts. He stared into the darkness and thought of his parents. Tomorrow he would celebrate another birthday without them. This time he was going to become of age. Even if he would never know how it felt to celebrate his birthday with his parents, he could only imagine it as wonderful.

He didn’t know what time it was when he quietly got out of bed to go to the bathroom because his throat was sore. He went barefoot along the floorboards and opened the door to the bath. As he entered he noticed the dim light in the room and then the person who was leaning over the basin. Long hair obscured the face but Harry knew instantly who it was. Surprised and curious he stepped closer and noticed the lit wand in her hand.

            “Amy?” he asked gently and touched her shoulder.

She gasped startled and turned around. Wide eyes were looking at him and Harry thought that she looked very fragile in the dim light. She was wearing one of Remus’ shirts that stopped just below her bottom and from there he could see her long slender legs disappearing in red slippers.

Amy raised her hand to rub her tired eyes which caused her shirt to ride up. Harry turned his gaze elsewhere before he saw something that would make him blush.

            “Oh, it’s you, Harry,” she said in a quiet voice, lowering her hand. “Can’t you sleep?” she asked, cocking her head.

            “I just wanted to drink water. Did I disturb you in any way?” he asked, apologising.

            “No, you didn’t,” she replied, smiling slightly. “I… well, I was thirsty too.”

Harry wondered why she had not been using the bathroom on the first floor, which was closer to her room, but probably she had a secret too, she couldn’t talk about just like him.

            “Are you feeling well enough to get up?”

            “Yes,” she said nodding. “I just can’t fall asleep at the moment.”

She approached him and Harry moved out of her way, thinking that she wanted to go to the door. But she just made a gesture that he could have a drink from the tap now and he did so, turning the tap on.  Instead of leaving the room, Amy leant against the door and lifted her wand so the light was falling on him, watching him while he drank the water from his hands.           When he was finished she lowered her gaze quickly and looked up when she saw his naked feet standing in front of hers. Slowly she raised her head and looked at Harry, noticing how much taller he had become. However, his raven hair was dishelved, causing his face to look younger, and erasing the feeling that she felt smaller in his presence. She turned around without a word and opened the door. Quietly she went into the corridor and heard Harry following her. He closed the door and walked towards Amy who had turned he face away and was looking down the dark corridor.

            “I feel so empty which makes me feel so cold,” she said softly into the silence and Harry stared at her back. “I’m scared of feeling cold all the time.”

For any other person it must’ve sounded cryptical but Harry recognised, accourding to the depressed and sad sound of her voice, that it were her feelings and that they were touching the emotion he was feeling. He didn’t know what to say but when Amy turned around to face him, even in the dim light of her wand he recognised the pain in her eyes he was feeling for years now. He was overwhelmed with the urge to hug her and tell her that he was feeling the same, that she wasn’t alone. There was a gleam in her eyes as if she was going to cry, but the tears didn’t fall. They just looked at him, searching for something he was shy to give.

            “Harry,” she said insistently and he blinked twice. “Do you feel the same?”

He took a deep breath, averted his gaze for a moment and saw from the corner of his eyes Amy lifting her hand to her own. Quickly he lifted his eyes again and approached her. He saw her tremble but didn’t dare to hug her nonetheless. He didn’t know her well and if it would be right if he just hugged her, and moreover, he had never opened up to anyone, not to mention showing the pain he was feeling since the loss of his parents and Sirius. However, he had only done so because there had been nobody who could imagine how it felt. But now there was this girl standing in front of him, who was only a passing acquaintance to him, whose loyality was debatable, and who he found strange.

            “Please talk to me,” he heard her whisper which interrupted his thoughts. “I just want to have someone I can talk about it.”

Harry gulped and mustered up his courage. He reached out with his hand and touched Amy’s shoulder gently. She looked up.

            “I know how you feel,” he said.

He heard her sniff and saw her knitting her eyebrows in despair, and the next moment he had put his arms around her, which surprised her, but she returned the hug and lay her head on his shoulder. They stood like this for a while and Harry didn’t dislike it at all to hold her. She was warm and soft and smelled good. He could feel the swell of her breasts through his pyjamas, which made him blush, but because she wasn’t crying, it didn’t make him feel uncomfortable to give her comfort like this.

After a while they let go of each other and went down to the drawing room to sit on the sofa. Harry leant against the left side and Amy was sitting next to him while they were talking in hushed tones. Both of them told the other a bit about their life and the loss of their parents, and Harry didn’t know when he fell asleep, only that it was very late.


	7. Unusual friendship

Often the mind

can’t understand the heart  
and is smiling at it,  
though the decisions  
of the heart  
are often the right ones.

_~ Heart and Mind by Annegret Kronenberg ~_

 

Harry woke up slowly and felt well-rested, though he had been talking with Amy until late. He wondered when he had fallen asleep and noticed now that something heavy and warm was lying on his chest. He opened his eyes and saw dark blond hair and a relaxed and sleeping face. He must have fallen asleep, whatever time it had been, and his body had collapsed against the armrest and Amy, who had fallen asleep as well, had slumped down and was now lying beside him. She had pulled the blanket that was always on the sofa with her and pulled it over them. One arm was lying around his waist, probably put there in her sleep, and her head was resting on his chest. He was embarrassed that they were sleeping so close to each other but on the other hand it wasn’t unpleasant. He carefully lifted his right hand and stroked over her forehead to push some strands of her hair aside.

            “I don’t want to get up yet, Mummy,” he heard her mumble and his heart sank.

He looked around and his eyes fixed on the clock standing on the mantlepiece. It was nine o’clock and he jumped as suddenly the door of the drawing was opened. Harry heard footsteps coming closer and because he was in a horizontal position, he couldn’t peer over the backrest to see who had entered. Only when a brown head appeared in his vision, he knew it was Hermione.

            “Harry, there you are! We’ve all been looking for you. Happy birthday, by the way,” she said and then her eyes fell on Amy.

A smile crossed her lips.

            “What happened?” she asked gently.

            “Hi, Mione, thank you. – Well, Amy needed someone to talk to and that’s why we ended up falling asleep here,” he replied.

            “Remus has been quite distraught this morning at finding her bed empty. Do you want me to tell him where she is or will you?”

She was grinning now from ear to ear, eyeing Amy lying next to Harry.

            “Will you please? But please don’t tell –“

            “Don’t worry. I won’t say too much, trust me.”

Harry looked at her relieved.

            “I do,” he said.

            “Then wake her and I’ll go inform the others.”

            “Okay.”

Hermione went to the door and closed it behind her. As soon as she had left, Harry looked again at Amy who was still sleeping. She was looking so relaxed that he actually didn’t want to wake her, but if he didn’t want to be caught by someone else who would misunderstand the situation that she was lying so close to him, then he had to do it. He touched her shoulder and shook her gently. It didn’t take long and Amy’s eyes opened. She looked at him sleepily but then he could see realisation dawn in them and she sat up startled, looking around. A tint of pink was colouring her cheeks and Harry had to grin inwardly at the thought that she was probably embarrassed because she had been lying so close to him. He took her hand in his to calm her and she looked down at him questioningly.

            “Relax, Amy. It’s nine o’clock and Hermione has been here a while ago and she’s telling the others where we are. She said they’ve been looking for us.”

            “Oh,” was the only thing she managed to say.

Now Harry noticed the loss of body heat they had shared because Amy was sliding off the sofa and folding the blanket. He started to miss this comfortable feeling. He glanced at her and the tint of pink had left her cheeks.

            “We must have fallen asleep in the early hours,” she said as if it was some daily thing for her to fall asleep next to him. “Remus will go bonkers,” she sighed.

            “Remus can do that?” he asked disbelievingly.

Amy looked at him as if she was already suffering.

            “Yes, he can. In his own way.”

Then she scratched her chin thoughtfully and gave him a questioning look.

            “Did you feel uncomfortable lying on the sofa with me and that I was... well... bothering you with my problems?”

Harry lifted his eyebrows.

            “No,” he said and stood as well to be almost at eye level with her. “Not at all.”

She raised her head and lowered her hand. A happy smile spread on her face.

            “Thanks. Thank you for listening to me,” she whispered.

            “Your welcome, Amy,” he said, offering her his hand.

She looked at it and took it instantly. It was warm and the pleasant pressure reassured her that everything was alright and that Harry really didn’t mind. It was their first seal of trust.

The next moment the door of the drawing room flew open and Remus and Hermione entered. Remus was looking troubled and worried, but as he saw Amy and Harry standing by the sofa, the worry left his eyes. However, he strode towards them and grabbed her shoulders firmly but not roughly.

            “Amy, I was so worried about you when I didn’t find you in your bed. What are you doing here? You shouldn’t get up yet. Madam Pomfrey has come today from Hogwarts to assess your condition. Let’s get you back to bed!” he said sternly.

            “Remus, I’m fine, so please calm down,” Amy replied when he suddenly lifted her to carry her out of the room. “Moony, Moony, let me down this instant, I can walk on my own,” the girl protested, hitting his shoulder while he left the drawing room.

Hermione and Harry stared after them in bewilderment.

            “Blimey...” Harry mumbled.

            “Don’t worrry. Remus knows that you two have had a chat. I told him so he wouldn’t worry about it,” Hermione said.

            “Why? Is there a reason to worry?”

Hermione chuckled.

            “Oh, nothing, Harry. I don’t know what really happened tonight.”

            “Nothing happened! We just talked,” Harry burst out indignantly.

            “Don’t get upset, I do believe you,” Hermione said, patting his shoulder. “Now come. Everybody’s waiting for you.”

And they did.

When Harry had finished cleaning his face and getting dressed he went down to the kitchen, his eyes widening at the sight of the room. Banners and balloons were hanging everywhere, and then confetti was raining down on him and a cheerful “Happy birthday, Harry!” greeted him. The Weasleys, Hermione, Tonks, Moody and Kingsley were standing around him with smiles on their faces. Because he was standing as if rooted to the floor, Ginny came over and took him to a small table which was covered with many presents he had never expected. He got a nice spectacle case with a magical cloth that never got dirty from Hermione, and it would come quite in handy, he thought. Ginny gave him a new pair of gloves because his old ones had become too small, and when he thanked her she blushed as red as her hair. He wondered when her shyness towards him had returned. From Ron he got a package of Chocolate Frogs as always and a book about special technics at Quidditch. After unwrapping his presents, Harry saw Professor Snape come down, accompanied by Madam Pomfrey and Remus, who was carrying Amy to everyones surprise.

            “Potter, I only wish you to improve your marks in Potions, otherwise I will see you fail,” Snape said, smirking at Harry before sitting down at the table.

Harry just ignored him. His eyes were fixed on Remus who was putting Amy down on a chair and then coming over to him to give him a hug, wishing him all the best. Harry was very happy. Then he looked at Amy, who was casting him a helpless look, before taking something out of the pocket of her dressing gown which she had thrown over her shirt, and handing it to Harry. He walked towards her and carefully took the figure she was handing him.

            “Happy birthday, Harry. I’m sorry, I was told on short notice that your birthday is today, that’s why I have no special present for you,” she apologised.

It was a small yellow paper flower Amy had made for him.

            “I like it,” he said and sat beside her at the dining table. “What is that flower?”

            “It’s a water lily,” she replied smiling.

Harry let it join his other presents and didn’t notice Ginny watching him from her place at the table.

            “What did Madam Pomfrey say?” he asked as he shoveled scrambled eggs into his mouth.

            “She said I’m quite fine and I can now move into the room of Mione and Ginevra.”

            “Well, that’s good,” he said.

            “Hm,” Amy mumbled. “I’ll miss Remus’ bed. It smells so wonderfully of him. I felt very comfortable,” she said, stirring her porridge. “But it’s better this way. I don’t want him to sleep on the chair anymore.”

Harry chuckled.

            “Hey, Harry,” Ron said, trying to get his attention. “Dad wants to go with us to the Ministry later, so we can take our test for Apparition!”

Harry’s eyes widened.

            “That’s great!” he said thrilled.

Then he turned to Amy.

            “Have you already taken your test?”

She nodded because her mouth was full with porridge. After she had swallowed she added:

            “Since the Easter holdidays. My birthday was in December and I went with my dad to the Ministry of Magic.”

Her voice got very quiet and her eyes became dull. She stared into her bowl with porridge and barely noticed Harry touching her shoulder briefly.

 

Breakfast was over quickly and when Amy went up the stairs, she paused in the grand entryway as she saw Ron and Harry with Mr. Weasley They were putting on their trainers, and Harry was already wearing a beige baseball cap that made him looked somewhat strange, Amy thought.

_Younger and not so embittered any more._

She waved them goodbye and then was accompanied by Hermione upstairs. As they reached the first floor they saw Bill and Charlie moving a bed through the corridor. Bill caused it to float and Charlie kept an eye on it so it didn’t bump the walls. They took it into Ginny and Hermione’s room and put it down at the free space beneath the window. The next one to enter was Remus who was putting Amy’s suitcase beside her bed, containing all the things he had been able to pack for her on the day of the attack.

Starting from this day Amy was living with Ginny and Hermione. It was nice to share the room with the girls, however she could feel a big distance to the redhead. She treated her friendly but not effusively nice. She didn’t know why and didn’t feel like thinking about it. The day Harry and Ron passed their Apparition test there was quite a commotion in the house because the boys made a contest in Who-is-the-fastest-in-apparating-from-the-kitchen-to-the-attic. There was a contant popping noise in the kitchen, causing the bigger part of the people living here to retreat to their rooms, and only when Professor Snape threatened Harry and Ron with detention for months did they stop.

 

Then the day approached for Amy she had feared: the funeral of her parents. It was going to be at the small cemetery of the village Knook not far away from her home. She could choose who was to accompany her and she limited it to Hermione and Harry. In the morning they apparated with Remus to Cherryfield, as the home of the Moons was called, and Harry recognised it as the one he had seen in his dream. From the outside, everything was still the same. The painting wasn’t grey as Harry had dreamt about it but a warm beige, overhung by the brown shingles of the roof. The cherry and apple trees yielded fruits in the garden.

Remus was the first to enter the house and Amy followed suit, ascending the staircase to her room without looking around. She dragged her suitcase behind her and put all her clothes and equipment inside she needed for Hogwarts. She was joined later by Hermione who was wearing a black costume for the occasion and found Amy sitting on her bed with a framed picture of her parents in her hands. She had changed, too, into a black skirt with lace, a black blouse and black shoes. She had put her hair into a bun. Hermione sat down beside her and wrapped her arms around Amy but she didn’t cry. She had already cried her eyes out the days before and now there were no tears left and she looked expressionless. With cold fingers she caressed the silver frame of the picture where her parents were waving and smiling at her. They were standing underneath the blooming cherry trees in the garden. The photograph had been taken in spring this year.

Remus had sat down with Harry on the sofa in the living room and told him that after Amy’s parents death, settlements had been handed over to the parents of Amy’s mother who were arranging the funeral. They were both wizards but they knew her granddaughter hardly because they were living far away abroad. They had only come to Great Britain for the funeral. Amy had seen them only once or twice as a child.

About noon the four of them left the house and Remus used a spell on the building so that it looked like someone was living inside. Amy had the right in the wizarding world to keep the house after her parents death. The only thing that was now to find was the last will of her parents.

They apparated to the cemetery and during the funeral service Amy stood silently beside the open grave when the urns were put inside. Her grandparents were standing close to her, crying silently, the pastor issued the blessing at last, and in the end Amy was standing there with a rose in her hand, letting it fall into the grave with one last tear.

            “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” she mumbled.

Remus, Hermione and Harry had gathered around her. Harry with his head low and a sad expression on his face, Hermione with her hand on Amy’s shoulder, and Remus with her hand in his. Earth was poured on the urns and Amy’s gaze fell on the gravestone whose inscription got her attention.

 

_Although we are leaving, we are not disappearing._

_Cathleen and Steven Moon_

_* 1958_

_† 1997_

A warm breeze blew over the grass that was surrounding the grave and as Amy turned she could see that only her friends and godfather were still with her. No one else seemed to take interest in her but she didn’t blame her grandparents for not caring for her. After her parent’s death she was consumed by a certain indifference that excused something like this.

They stayed for a while but then she asked Remus to return to Grimmauld Place. They apparated in silence and Amy disappeared immediately in the room she was sharing with the girls. She needed some private time to think about everything. It was just strange that before dinner she was found in Harry’s company in the upstairs master bedroom, where Buckbeak stayed.

 

~*~

Two weeks passed and nothing changed after the funeral. Hermione noticed that Harry and Amy sat quite often in the drawing room after dinner, having tea together and talking about everything under the sun. She was glad to see that Harry was getting along with her friend and that he could talk about things with her he didn’t want to discuss with her or Ron. She understood that he didn’t want to talk about his parents death if the other party couldn’t comprehend the pain of loss. The company of each other did both of them well because sometimes she could hear them laughing.

 

This evening they had been sitting together drinking tea when Ginny barged into the drawing room. She had wanted to ask Harry something concerning her homework for Herbology but he had sent her to Hermione and told her unmistakably that her presence wasn’t appreciated. Amy raised an eyebrow at Harry because he made her leave like this but she didn’t say a word. He must have his reasons, she thought. They went to bed late although tomorrow was going to be the departure day for Hogwarts – the return to reality.

 

Monday morning dawned quite in a hectic fashion. Ron was missing clothes, Harry couldn’t find Hedwig’s owl treats, who made a hellish noise joined by Pigwidgeon. Hermione tried to help them, Ginny chased the twins through the house after turning her dress robes from a soft blue into an ugly light green, and Amy was on the brink of ripping Snape’s head off because he claimed Orion had left ink stains on his parchments, which wasn’t true. She proved him wrong by entering Ron’s chaos-like room Ron, grasping Pig and comparing his claws with the imprints on the parchments. As a result Ron was now stuck with Snape’s bickering but Amy took the grudging Potions Master down to the kitchen where Mrs Weasley could have an eye on him to make him shut his mouth. It was absolute nonsense to make a fuss about dirty parchments when the children were preparing for the departure to Hogwarts. They both were with Mrs Weasley and the twins the first people in the kitchen.

Soon the others joined them. With Hermione’s help Ron had found his missing clothes and Harry Hedwig’s owl treats. While eating breakfast they were talking about how the atmosphere in Hogwarts would be. Not only the deceased students would be missing but the other ones, too, who had fled the country with their families. Moreover they wondered who was going to be the new DADA teacher, as every year this position was given to a new teacher. It was long believed to be cursed.

The twins said goodbye, because they had to open their shop in Diagon Alley, and announced the end of the breakfast.

All children went upstairs to their rooms to get their luggage and to gather in the grand entryway. Everyone had their suitcases and owl cages (Harry, Ron and Amy) and was checking that nothing was left behind. Mr Weasley had ordered two cars of the Ministry of Magic for the children’s safety and they were supposed to arrive at quarter past ten. The Weasley’s, Hermione, Tonks and Harry left the house while Amy was still looking indecisively at Snape and Remus. Both wanted to stay behind to oversee the house. The others had barely left the house when Amy dropped her suitcase, put the cage down and wrapped her arms around her godfather’s waist. She pressed her faced against his chest and clung to him as if she was never intending to leave for King’s Cross.

            “Remus, why are you not accompanying us?” she asked with a slightly desperate voice.

            “So you can say goodbye to me here, Amy. At the station you would be far too distracted,” he said, petting her head gently.

            “I wouldn’t,” she mumbled into his robes.

            “I’ll see you again soon.”

            “At Christmas.”

Remus held her at arms length and kissed her forehead.

            “Please don’t dawdle, sweetheart, otherwise you’re going to miss the car,” he said, smiling at her.

Amy sniffled, glanced at Snape, who was looking at her with a blank face, and turned back to her godfather.

            “Goodbye, Remus.”

            “See you, Amy,” he said and closed the door behind himself.

Before the door was shut, he saw her walking along the pavement where Harry was waiting for her. Together they hurried to the crossroad where the cars of the Ministry were waiting for them already. They were the last and so they stuffed their suitcases into the boot before sitting next to Hermione and the birdcages.

 

The cars rushed through London. It was rush hour but the cars weaved through the traffic at an unbelievable speed. They reached King’s Cross fifteen minutes later and everybody got a trolley to put the luggage on before they made their way through the crowd at the station. They managed to get to platform nine and ten and walked through the barrier in pairs to avoid drawing the Muggles’ attention. On platform nine-and-three-quarters they already saw many parents with their children walking to the scarlet steam train billowing smoke. Ginny was the first to recognise some girls of her year and she rushed over to greet them. Harry and Ron found Neville, Seamus and Dean who were chatting animatedly. Hermione urged them to find a free compartment, and before they got on the train they said goodbye to their company. After the departure Ginny vanished with her friends, and Harry, Amy and Ron got on the train, too. They left Hermione behind because she wanted to say goodbye to Charlie alone. Ron, who was still angry about them being so close to each other, stomped along the corridor like an elephant and opened the door of an empty compartment. Amy just rolled her eyes at his behaviour and leant out of the open window of the corridor, once Harry had helped her to put her trunk on the luggage rack. She beckoned Hermione to hurry up, and as Hermione waved at Charlie, Amy let her gaze roam over the crowd. It didn’t take long and silver blond hair got her attention. Draco pushed his trolley through the crow with his head hung low, lost in thought and without paying attention to his surroundings. Amy frowned and Draco’s letter came to her mind.

 _How’s he doing? What’s happened to him during the holidays?_ , she thought. _I wonder what he’s going_ _to think when I tell him that his father was with the Death Eaters who killed my parents, and that he is no longer in Askaban._

He headed towards the last carriages and as he reached the third last one, Amy saw a girl with dark hair running towards him and throwing her arms around Draco’s neck. It was Pansy Parkinson – Amy shivered at seeing this.

She averted her gaze, rested her head on her arms and watched the remaining families on the platform.

Meanwhile, Hermione had entered the compartment and glanced at her best friend who was standing in front of the window in the corridor. She sighed and looked at Ron and Harry. The redhead avoided her eyes stubbornly.

            “Harry, I really like it that you get along with Amy so well,” she said and petted Crookshanks who was lying in her lap. “She needs us now. Look. She's melancholic again.”

Harry looked at Amy.

            “She’s really nice, Hermione.”

He watched her retrieve her silver badge, pinning it to her blouse.

            “How are you feeling now as the Head Girl?” he asked.

Hermione grinned and caressed her badge lovingly which she had received from Professor McGonagall at the beginning of the holidays.

            “Great! It’s everything I’ve strived for,” she said, smiling pleased.

Now Ron looked at her and his lips curled.

            “Hermione, don’t you dare deduct points from Harry and me. You know very well that you’ve joined all our pranks in the last years,” he said sternly.

            “I will think about it, Ron,” she replied whereupon he gave her a very morose look. “Oh, the train’s moving.”

Hermione got up and walked over to Amy at the window to wave the Weasleys and Tonks goodbye. Harry and Ron joined the girls and did the same until they couldn’t see the platform anymore. Together they sat down in the compartment, closed the door and the curtains. Harry managed to cheer up Amy with some rounds of _Exploding Snap_ but as soon as Ron and Hermione had left for a prefects’ meeting, an umcomfortable silence settled in the compartment. Harry was sitting opposite of Amy, who was looking out of the window, and could see the landscape reflected in her eyes. Hedwig and Orion were sleeping in their cages, and Crookshanks was watching Pigwidgeon with shiny eyes. Harry pondered what he could talk about with Amy but he read the expression on her face, guessing that she didn’t fancy any conversation. He leant against the window, too, and zoned out. Soon the noise of the witch with the tea trolley caught his attention and he opened the door to buy some sweets for his friends. He gave Amy a Chocolate Frog and she thanked him. A glance into her wallet told her that her parents had devised her quite a fortune but she appreciated Harry’s gesture.

Ron and Hermione came back minutes later, half an hour after they had left. According to their faces Harry and Amy knew that something didn’t please them.

            “What’s the matter?” Harry asked curiously as they sat down.

Ron was red in the face and Hermione was sitting with clenched hands opposite of Harry. Amy was now looking with wide eyes at them.

            “Let’s start with the pleasant part,” Hermione said, taking a deep breath. “I’m going to live on the most upper floor of the Gryffindor tower with the girls dormitories. I’ll have a password for my door and a very nice room of my own.”

She frowned after Harry had started to look happy for her.

            “Malfoy’s the new Head Boy and I’ll have the big _honour_ of patrolling the corridors with him in the  evening.”

            “Pardon?” Harry asked wide-eyed.

Now he understood why Ron was so red in the face. He looked at Amy who had risen.

            “He is Head Boy?” she asked in a low voice.

Instead of Hermione answering, it was Ron in a furious tone.

            “Yes! How could the staff stand up for him? This slimy bastard actually did it. I bet his father bought him the way in.”

Amy turned to him and gave him an angry look.

            “You don’t know him at all, Ron. His father would never do such a thing, by the way,” she snarled at him.

The redhead look disbelievingly at her because she was so livid.

            “Well, and how do you know this?” he asked with narrowed eyes.

            “That’s none of your business,” she said more composed for Hermione had grasped her arm to calm her down.

            “But you are not defending him for an unimportant reason,” Ron replied sternly.

            “The point is that you shouldn’t judge people whose backgrounds you only know from hearsay,” Amy hissed, tearing her arm out of Hermione’s grasp and leaving the compartment. Irritated, Ron stroked through his hair and shook his head.

            “What was that?” he asked.

            “She’s right, you know?” Harry said.

            “Don’t you start on me too!” Ron said frowning.

            “I don’t like it either when people think stupid things about me they only know from hearsay,” Harry said.

Hermione sighed and rested her head in her hand.

            “I’ll go bring her back,” Harry said and left as well.

            “Did I miss anything?” Ron asked Hermione who looked at him indifferently.

            “I’ve thought about it for quite a while as for our opinions of certain people,” she replied.

            “You mean, we should stop mocking Malfoy?”

            “I didn’t say that, Ron.”

            “Explain yourself.”

            “Oh, well, never mind. Just leave it,” she said, waving the topic aside.

Ron groaned irritatedly and indulged in the sweets Harry had left behind.

 

Amy had walked down the corridor, looking for Draco. She wanted to congratulate him for becoming Head Boy and had nearly reached the carriage he was on. She was still fuming because of Ron’s words and would have loved slapping him in the face for his impudence. She knew the rivalry between the houses and Slytherin, especially with Gryffindor, but to judge someone if one only knew the circumstances from hearsay she thought was absolutely abhorrent. Well, she had been angry at Draco for his behaviour as well, and what was made possible for him or that his actions were tolerated, but now after knowing him for a while and exchanging letters she had a completely different picture of him. However, it was incomprehensible for her why he liked _her_.

She was so lost in thought that she had nearly walked past the compartment Draco was occupying. But his fair hair got her attention immediately. She stopped, snuck to the left side of the compartment and peered through the window. Pansy Parkinson was sitting closest to the door, listening to something Blaise Zabini said, who was lounging at the window. Draco had crossed his legs casually, an arm wrapped around Pansy and was wearing quite a forced smile on his lips. He seemed to only listen halfheartedly for his gaze was fixed on the landscape. Amy lowered her eyes for a moment, pondering for a second, and then squared her shoulders. Bravely she stepped towards the door for them to see her. Now she discovered another girl with brown hair who was sitting beside Blaise. Amy recognised her as Daphne Greengrass.

Pansy spotted her first. Her calm and relaxed gaze changed immediately and became hard and disdainful as she recognised Amy. As she got up, the others became aware of the onlooker, and Pansy opened the door.

            “What do you want, Moon?” she asked harshly.

Amy met her eyes calmly. Then she looked past her at Draco who returned her gaze. He rose and put a hand on Pansy’s shoulder.

           “Leave her, Pansy, I’ll see to it,” he said in a calm voice, causing Pansy’s eyes to soften.

She sat down again and looked up at him, waiting for what he was going to do. She didn’t like this Ravenclaw. She had seen her and Draco studying twice or thrice in the library, and she hadn’t liked the way they were looking at each other.

Draco stepped into the corridor, closed the door behind him and beckoned Amy to follow him with a slight nod of his head. He walked to the end of the carriage where the penultimate carriage was connected and paused. Thoughtfully, Amy had put her hands behind her back and looked up at him as he turned around.

            “It’s nice to see you again,” he said but then his voice became more serious. “Did you get my letters? Why didn’t you reply?”

Amy sighed and lowered her head.

            “Draco, I didn’t have a chance to do so. I was scared of Orion getting caught when he’s delivering.”

Now she started shaking when she thought of what she was going to tell him.

            “Tell me, did you ever know about the cruel things your father did before he was sentenced to Azkaban?”

Draco looked at her questioningly and felt uncomfortable as he saw her eyes brimming with tears. He couldn’t deal with crying girls at all.

            “Yes, of course, and it was annoying him asking me whether I want to join and watch him killing families in the name of the Dark Lord,” he said, his voice filled with contempt. “I always refused and had to bear the consequences. In his eyes I’m no real Malfoy, who respects the principles of our pure-blood family, and only because I’m not obeying him.”

He fisted his hand and looked at Amy, seeing a lonely tear escape her eye and roll down her cheek.

            “Draco, I can understand you, but if you had accompanied him once, maybe you could have prevented the death of my parents,” she said, her voice shaking.

The Slytherin stared at her wide-eyed.

            “Your parents are... dead?” he said disbelievingly.

            “Yes, what do I look like? I thought you knew what ploys your father is pursuing! I’m a half-blood. My father is a Muggle. No surprise we are a thorn in the Dark Lord’s side,” she snapped at him in desperation. “You could’ve stopped him.”

           “I thought he was still in Azkaban! He must’ve escaped then. It’s something the _Daily Prophet_ doesn’t even know. Moreover, I don’t know which families my father is assigned to kill. Before he was sentenced to Azkaban my father was coming and going as he liked. The Dark Lord was calling him nearly every day for any killing event and I was glad if I could hide from my father to escape him forcing me to join him.”

            “You’re a coward, Draco, a real coward. Why aren’t you rebelling against your father?“

Amy wiped her tears from her eyes and leant against the wall.

        “What I’ve tried already was frivolous enough, everything else might’ve been my death sentence. The moment I rebel means that I’m refusing to become my father’s heir and a Death Eater –” he said, gesticulating wildly.

            “Go to Dumbledore! He can help you to abandon your family if they are asking for things you don’t want,” she suggested and then pressed her lips together.

Draco remained silent. He had already been thinking about going to Dumbledore but he didn’t dare if it spread.

             “I can’t,” he said. “If Pansy or any other Slytherin hears about that –”

             “But Blaise is your friend, isn’t he? He would make her shout her mouth. Can’t you trust him?” she asked quietly.

             “I can, I can but –”

             “But what?”

             “I –”

            “Don’t worry so much, Draco. If you like I can accompany you to Dumbledore. No one will find out, and then you can tell those people you trust,” Amy said.

Draco looked at her disbelievingly. Listening to her gave him courage which was destroyed by his fear immediately. Yes, she was right. He was a coward.

He stepped closer and took her hand softly.

            “I’m so sorry what happened to your parents, Amy,” he said honestly.

She nodded briefly and lowered her gaze again.

            “When did they die?” he asked and pulled her closer so she was looking up at him.

             “At the end of July,” she replied, melancholic again.

             “Have you lived with relatives since then?”

             “No, with good friends.”

She felt him nod and shivered the next moment as she felt his hand on her chin. He lifted it gently and looked at her with his ice-blue eyes.

             “I hope you know that you can trust me. I’m not like my father,” he said and his voice sounded worried about her being still embittered because he couldn’t prevent her parents’ death.

             “I know, Draco, and I know too, that it’s not easy for you. I didn’t want to yell at you. I was just so distraught,” she nearly whispered because she felt her chin tingle from his fingers.

His eyes were full of remorse. She withdrew slowly from his hand and proximity. If someone saw them from afar, they would get the impression that he was threateningly towering over her. Ten inches separated the handsome formidable Slytherin and the small Ravenclaw. She knew that and felt sometimes intimidated.

             “Well, I’ll go back to my compartment,” she said and looked around if anyone was watching.

             “Will we meet for homework again?” he asked when he saw her backing away.

She turned her head and a gentle smile crossed her lips.

             “We will.”

Then she turned away and walked back along the corridor. She heard Draco following her and the next moment she saw Harry at the end of the corridor approaching her. His expression changed from neutral to suspicious as he saw Amy and Draco coming from the same direction. Hastily she glanced back at the Slytherin who gave her a questioning look, and quickened her pace to reach Harry first before he came face to face with Draco. That those two hated each other was well known, of course, and she wanted to avoid a quarrel because she liked both of them.

She reached Harry first, extended her hand to grasp his and changed direction with him. He was brought back the way he had come and only got the chance to throw a hateful look at Draco.

When Amy reached the next carriage she let go of his hand and continued walking. Harry had to rush to keep up with her.

            “Is everything all right, Amy?“ he asked, resting a hand on her shoulder.

             “Yes, why?“

             “Well, you and Malfoy, why –?”

       “We just talked,” she said curtly, reaching the next carriage.

Harry took his hand off her shoulder which caused Amy to turn around and look him sternly in the eye.

           “Don’t worry about my loyalty, Harry. Even if I’ve been friends with Draco since sixth year, doesn’t mean that I share his parents’ opinion. I am and will remain myself,” she stated.

            “I never doubted you,” Harry defended himself.

            “What’s the problem, then? Have you been looking for me?”

Harry mumbled something. He didn’t know how to explain himself. He had followed her out of worry and instinct because he thought it was the right thing to do.

            “Yes,” he said. “I wanted to bring you back because I wanted to tell you that Ron meant no harm,” he added quickly.

            “You don’t say, Harry. Ron meant it the way he said it but I don’t care. I just can’t listen to it.”

She took a deep breath.

            “I don’t judge people by other people’s opinions. I like to get to know them and judge myself.”

She smiled at him and was glad to hear that he had been worried about her being outraged because of Ron.

            “Okay,” he said, looking less stern.

Then they felt a jerk and the sign of Hogsmeade station appeared in front of the windows. The Hogwarts Express had finally pulled into the village.

           “Let’s find the others,” Amy said cheerfully and entered the carriage with the compartment where Hermione and Ron were staying.

Harry followed her thoughtfully. He still didn’t like the idea of Amy and Draco being friends.


	8. Hermione's conclusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all subscribers. It makes me happy that people are interested in following this story. I don't update every week but there's a continiuty to my updates.

There is something within you,  
that ensnares people,

pulls them closer  
just like a magnet.  
  
Will I be able to bear   
sharing you with others,  
even if I know  
that your heart

only belongs to me?

_~ Jealousy by Annegret Kronenberg ~_

They found Ron, who gave Amy an apologetic look, and Hermione already at one of the exits of the train. However, her face remained unreadable when he looked at her. As always they heard the announcement to leave the luggage and pets behind. They got off the train and joined the other students who walked to the school carriages. Amy was shocked as they reached them and stumbled backwards into Harry. He got a hold of her so she didn’t tumble.           

             “Don’t worry, I can see them too. These are Thestrals. They have always pulled the school carriages,” he explained.

            “So that’s how they look like,” Amy said reverentially as soon as she had overcome her shock. “Now I understand. It’s great that they will always remind me of having lost my parents,” she said troubled and followed Hermione into a carriage.

            “I still can’t see them,” Ron said when they were on their way up to the castle.

            “Believe me you don’t want to if you have to see someone dying in return,” Harry said and his face was bitter.

Amy nodded and looked outside to see the dark battlements and towers of Hogwarts drawing closer. They passed the main entrance, flanked by winged boars, and went up the long way past it. Soon the carriage came to a shaky halt and everyone got off. Together they entered the Entrance Hall and then the Great Hall. Amy took a seat next to some of her classmates and watched as the hall filled. Draco was followed by Blaise, Daphne and Pansy as he sat down at his house table with a grave expression on his face. When all students had arrived, Amy looked at the High Table and noticed that the chair for the new DADA teacher was till empty.

            “I really wonder who is going to take over the position for Defence,” she heard Padma Patil talking to Su Li. “Maybe this time it’s someone handsome,” she giggled.

Amy tried not to listen. These girls always had to judge people by their appearance.

The double oak doors opened and Professor McGonagall entered with the first years. There were only a few, possibly because many families had left the country at the beginning of the second wizarding war. However, the ceremony proceeded as usual. Amy followed the procedure slightly listless and looked at Hermione, Ron and Harry after a while who were looking bored as well. After seven years it had become quite a routine. There were only five first years left, the bigger part sorted into Hufflepuff and Slytherin, when Amy noticed the door befind the High Table open and someone enter. Her eyes widened at the sight of the man who sat down beside Professor Flitwick.

It was Remus Lupin.

 _It can’t be!_ Amy thought bewildered and looked at the Gryffindor table where Harry, Hermione and Ron had wide eyes too, as they spotted Remus. _Why didn’t he tell me?_

She was so happy to see him, she wanted to jump from her seat to run and hug him.

 _I’ll go and meet him afterwards_ , she decided and followed the procedure now more attentively as Dumbledore rose after the ceremony was over.

His face was stern and the current situation was clearly visible on his features. Everyone knew that his speech was going to be more important than in the last years.

           “Welcome, students of Hogwarts. A new year has begun and it is overshadowed by terrible incidents in our ranks. Almost everyone has lost friends, family or relatives in this awful war, and I’m glad that the bigger part of you has come back. Solidarity is important in these hard times, and I appeal to your common sense to decide where your loyalties lie. If you have major worries please don’t feel afraid to approach us. We will always listen to your problems.”

Hearing these words Amy looked at Draco who was, however, not looking her direction.

            “Enough of those sad matters. I want to introduce you now to Professor Lupin who has again taken over the position of the DADA teacher after a four year absence from teaching.”

Applause filled the Great Hall and Amy clapped her hands so hard that her classmates turned around.

            “As always,” the headmaster went on, “I want to remind you that the forest on the grounds is forbidden as the village Hogsmeade for all first and second year students. Moreover, Mr Filch, our caretaker, asked me to remind you that magic is not allowed in the corridors during break. The list of all forbidden things within the castle has been extended and can be reviewed in his office if someone wants to do so. Quidditch try-outs are during the second week of the school year. Students who wish to play for their houses are asked to report to their house’s try-outs. At last I want to introduce you to the new Head Boy and Head Girl: Miss Hermione Granger,” Applause was heard from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, as well from some Hufflepuffs. “and Mr Draco Malfoy.”

The Slytherins were the only ones who cheered but it wasn’t even the whole table.

           “And now it is time for dinner. Tuck in!”

The next moment the silver plates and goblets filled with food and drinks and the tense atmosphere blew over as the delicious dinner appeared. Chatter broke loose at the tables and the clinking of knives, forks and spoons was heard.

Amy ate quickly. She wanted to finish eating to meet Remus and she hoped dinner was over soon. It wasn’t long that the food changed into dessert and after forty-five minutes the jingle of Dumbledore’s wine glass rang through the chatter and silence fell over the crowd.

           “Now that we enjoyed our meal, I wish you a good night and a nice first school day tomorrow,” the headmaster said before all students rose from their seats to go to their dormitories.

There was a crowd forming at the double doors as they wanted to dash out the Great Hall. Amy took her time. Of course, she was in a hurry to get to Remus’ quarters and with a glance to the High Table she noticed him being already gone, but she didn’t want to be crushed to death by her classmates. She met Hermione, Harry and Ron, as the crowd thinned out, and they bid each other good night before they parted on the third floor.

The corridor was empty when Amy headed for Remus’ rooms. They were exactly above his office, that was located on the second floor, and she hoped he had moved in as he had done in her third year. As she reached his door she knocked softly but didn’t get an answer after waiting for a moment. Carefully she tried the door and was glad that it was unlocked.

 _Maybe he’s still not here_ , she thought and slipped inside.

It was really a nice room. There was a fireplace, which was now unlit in summer time, two high windows with dark blue heavy curtains, a black leather sofa standing on an ornamented dark brown carpet, and a Davenport desk which was covered with the most strange things Remus had purchased in his life. Fascinated Amy walked around the room and passed the door which led to the bedroom. A smile graced her lips as she thought of her third year when she knocked Remus out of bed, clutching a teddy bear to her side because she had a nightmare. At that time he had allowed her to sleep in his bed to comfort her. That she had been allowed the same in the Bright House had only been an exception because of her condition. She was sure that he wouldn’t permit her now. She was already seventeen and a young woman. She knew she was supposed to sleep in her own bed.

A strange noise interrupted her thoughts and she glanced at the bedroom door which was slightly ajar. She approached it curiously, opened it further and peeked into the candlelit room. At first she only saw twilight which fell on an empty bed but when she stepped inside and looked around she saw something that curdled her blood. Her eyes widened so much that tears gathered in them which she had to blink away to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. She really saw her godfather sitting on the small chest of drawers at the window, arms thrown around a figure, who had black shoulder-length hair, kissing wildly. The fact that Remus’ white shirt was open at his neck and greedy hands were gripping his hips caused a noisy alarm in Amy’s head. The two kissing people didn’t notice her drawing her wand, pointing it at the person with black hair and saying, “ _Incarcerus!_ ” with a death glare on her face. Ropes wrapped itself around the figure who gave a muffled cry and fell to the ground. Remus looked up shocked and bewildered until he recognised Amy standing by the door. Colour drained out of his face and he tried to quickly button up his shirt.

            “Amy,” he gasped.

She approached him, frowing and looked down at the teacher who was sitting tied up on the floor beside the bed.

            “Miss Moon, tell me, are you off your head? Why did you sneak in and aren’t knocking as it is supposed to?” Severus Snape snapped, glaring at her.

His cheeks and lips were red and his hair ruffled. Amy had the urge to yell at him.

            “One more word and I’ll hex you into the next century,” she growled. “How dare you molest Remus? Do you want to hurt him any more than you already did?” she hissed at him and looked superior down on him, wand pointed at him.

She knew she was going to be in trouble for threatening a professor but at the moment it was a very small warning in the back of her head. A warm hand touched her shoulder and she turned.

            “Amy, please calm down! He’s not molesting me,” Remus said softly and stroked her cheek. “Lower your wand.”

She looked at him with an embittered expression and twirled her wand between her fingers.

            “I don’t want to share you,” she voiced the first thing she felt, and angry tears brimmed in her eyes. “I know this sounds selfish, but you are like a father to me. What’s that with you and him? I don’t need a surrogate mother.”

At her last words she glared at Snape.

            “Ha!” he sneered. “Don’t fool yourself.”

            “How long is that already going on between the both of you?” she asked quietly. “Since I was ill? I wondered why Snape is so strangely nice to me.”

Remus pulled her close and took the wand out of her hand.

            “For some months.”

            “Months?”

She looked bewildered at him. For a moment her mouth opened and closed and reminded Remus of a fish.

            “Really? And – you love each other, or is it just… errr, lust?” she asked.

Remus looked at Severus who smiled at him gently, when Amy didn’t look.

           “Love,” Remus whispered in Amy’s ear and hugged her. “Don’t worry, okay?”

        “When did you intend on telling me?” she asked and looked into his grey-blue eyes.

Remus was slightly uncertain.

           “Well, I definitely didn’t want you to find out that way.”

           “You forgot to lock the door,” she said matter-of-factly.

           “Had I done so, you possibly would’ve blasted it open,” he said humorously, and Amy chuckled.

           “I can’t understand why it has to be _him_. I thought you hate each other.”

          “Love moves in mysterious ways.”

Amy turned around in his arms, took her wand and cast the counter-curse for the ropes on Severus. As soon as he was released he got up and reached Amy in one stride. She glared at him and he stared back at her.

          “Treat him right,” she said, pursing her lips.

          “I had no notion of doing otherwise,” Severus explained. “Under these circumstances we should go on first name basis,” he said. “After all you are Remus’ goddaughter and for me something like –”

           “I will still remain your student, nothing else,” Amy interrupted him.

           “I thought more of _daughter_.”

           “Oh.”

Amy looked at the Potions Master in disbelief. She still couldn’t grasp the fact that this man was in love with Remus. Not in a thousand years she would have thought to imagine the words love and his name in one sentence.

          “I’d rather stay Amy,” she said finally.

           “Well, then Amy,” Severus said and bend forward to give Remus a gentle kiss.

A shudder went through her as she watched the kiss, squeezing Remus’ hand as if she could ease her tension by doing so.

           “I wish you a good night,” Severus said somewhat hoarse and looked at his lover and Amy.

She couldn’t believe him being able to be nice if he wanted. It had already felt strange at Grimmauld Place and she wasn’t sure if she could ever get accustomed to it. She returned the gaze her Potions Master was giving her before he left. They heard the door close.

          “I still can’t believe it,” she mumbled when he was gone. “I never would’ve thought, you and him, not even in my wildest dreams.”

Remus ruffled her hair and she turned and wrapped her arms around him. They stood like this for a while and unmeant tears wet his white shirt but he didn’t stop her and caressed her back softly. After a while she looked up and gauged his expression.

            “Are you happy?” she asked quietly.

            “Very,” he replied, kissing her forehead. “But you should return now to your dorm.”

            “I can’t. I don’t know the password, moreover, no one’s going to miss me,” she said.

            “Then we’ll go to the guarding eagle knocker and ask for the password,” Remus said and pushed the girl from him to look her over.

            “No, no, I don’t want to,” she disagreed and looked at him pleadingly. “I know this sounds childish but I’d like to stay here – just tonight.”

Remus looked at her and sighed. It had always been hard for him to ignore her puppy eyes.

            “Very well then. But only tonight.”

            “Yeah!” she exclaimed, grinning at him. “I’m in the bathroom. Can you lend me a shirt for the night?” she asked while walking towards a door that led into the adjoining bathroom.

            “I’ll get you one,” Remus replied, wondering why he always gave in to her.

She was already old enough to sleep in her own bed. She was no longer a thirteen year old girl with a teddy bear clutched in her arm but a young woman who turned eighteen soon. However, he wondered why she still had no boyfriend, as pretty as she was.

He found a shirt and lay it on the bed for her to put on when she was finished, and waited. Soon Amy came out and later when Remus wanted to go to bed as well he stopped on the threshold of the bathroom as he saw Amy only clad in his shirt standing in front of the high window of his bedroom. The pale silver light of the thin waning moon illuminated her shape delicately so she was nearly blending in with the darkness of the room. Although he knew how cute she looked in his oversized shirts, in this moment he thought her beautiful. Just like her mother. Yes, he really wondered why she still had no boyfriend.

 _Probably because no one knows this fragile side of her_ , he thought, stepping behind her.

            “Amy?” he whispered as if talking to a lover.

Startled she looked up at him.

            “Don’t scare me, Moony,” he said and hit his arm playfully.

He smiled at her and watched her disappear under his duvet. Tired he joined her and noticed belatedly that the girl snuggled into his arms by putting an arm around him.

            “I don’t want to share you,” she mumbled at his side before falling asleep.

Remus heard his blood rush in his ears when he felt her young body pressed warm and soft against his own. She had probably no idea that his wolf inside was howling, no matter whether he was an item with Severus or not. In that moment he was just unable to ignore the fact that she was so much like her mother he had loved dearly.

 _It’s definitely not normal for a godfather to treat his goddaughter like this but I’ll think about it some other time_ , he thought sleepily and kissed Amy’s forehead. _It’s only for tonight._

            “Sweet dreams,” he breathed and put an arm around her waist.

 

When Remus woke the next morning he felt nice and warm and very comfortable but as he opened his eyes, heat rose in his face. He saw Amy tightly snuggled up to him, an arm thrown over his waist and one leg shoved between his legs, seeking for warmth. Her face rested in the curve of his neck and her warm even breath warmed his skin.

 _Oh, why me! That’s going too far! I’m not her teddy bear_ , he thought slightly in panic for feeling his body stir.

In such moments he wished for Severus.

He grasped her possessive hand on his waist to free himself from her embrace but it wasn’t that easy for the girl reacted with a disapprovingly grunt. She snuggled more into him and smiled in her sleep.

Remus heard the wolf inside howl cheerfully and decided for the last resort.

            “Amy!” he said clearly audible. “Please wake up! You’ve already missed breakfast.”

He smiled at his trick closely followed by Amy’s reaction. Her eyes snapped open and stared at him startled.

            “I overslept?” she said and then realised her current situation. “Oh, I’m sorry, Remus.”

She slipped out of his arms with a red face, whereupon he started to miss their shared warmth, and jumped from the bed to rush into the living room to check the clock.

            “It’s only half seven, Remus!” he could hear her shout and see her reappear in the room.

            “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I already got a cramp from the position you were lying in,” he said and looked apologetically at her, rising from the bed. “Besides, it would be better for you to go to your tower. You need to change and get your things.”

After gathering his clothes he looked at the girl who was standing with her arms akimbo in the door frame, pouting.

            “And I slept so well,” she groaned.

            “I know,” Remus said, kissing her forehead before entering the bathroom. “But it’s about time now.”

Amy sighed audibly, her shoulders drooping, and started to change and then headed to the Ravenclaw Tower.

 

Later at breakfast she thought about what she had discovered last night. She knew she wasn’t quickly going to get used to the idea of Severus Snape and her godfather having an affair. Or should she call it a liaison? Either way, it sounded somehow repulsive and not right but she wanted Remus to be happy and that’s why she wanted to try to accept the facts.

 _Maybe it’ll bring some advantages for me of them being together. Therefore I can assume that Snape will always be nice to me. Okay, maybe not in class but that’s normal_ , she said grinning and studied her new timetable Professor Flitwick had given her. _Double Potions with Hufflepuff first?_

She put her cup of cocoa down and glanced at the High Table. She eyed the Potions Master who was engrossed in a conversation with Dumbledore. Remus was sitting at the other end of the table, reading the _Daily Prophet_.

_Well, at least their behaviour hasn’t changed._

Then she noticed her classmates, who had subscribed the morning paper, staring at it wide-eyed. Curious she tried to find out what had happened and touched Luna Lovegood’s shoulder.        

            “Is there anything interesting?” she asked.

The blond looked at her with her dreamy eyes.

            “Oh, Draco Malfoy’s father has escaped from Askaban. They didn’t even notice. A double was sitting in his cell. He must be on the loose already for days,” she said.

            “Oh,” Amy only replied and sat down again.

_Only now did the sloppy staff of the prison notice that Malfoy has escaped long ago. I already wondered when it was to be reported in the newspaper. I should press charges against him for killing my family but then I might draw the attention of the Death Eaters again._

Amy sighed and took her bag as the bigger part of her classmates headed for the dungeons. She followed suit and didn’t notice Harry watching her all the time. With a sinking heart and lost in thoughts she descended the stairs to the dark vaults. Thoughtfully she leant against the cold wall beside the door of the classroom and stared at the grey stone floor.

Soon Professor Snape arrived to unlock the classroom and all hope of him being nicer to her vanished in the moment when he gave her detention because she ruined her potion. The result was that her hair colour turned violet and began to curl because of the steam of the potion. Snape dismissed her gruffly to the Hospital Wing and expected her at eight in the dungeon. Crestfallen and angry at her inattention, the Ravenclaw trudged to the third floor where the Hospital Wing was located. As she arrived she was the only patient and Madam Pomfrey asked her to sit down on a bed while she was looking for an antidote in her office. Sitting alone in the silence of the hall and staring disgustedly at her violet hair she noticed too late that someone else entered. Only when she heard the door shut did Amy look up and recognised Hermione and Draco approaching her. Draco looked quite morose which she couldn’t hold against him for a muck-like green something was dripping from his head.

            “Amy, what happened to your hair?” Hermione said surprised while Draco sat down on a bed opposite of her.

            “Accident in Potions,” the girl mumbled uncomfortably.

            “Looks quite bad. Just like an neon sign,” Hermione said grinning.

            “A what?” Draco asked behind her.

            “I really wanted to hear that now, Hermione,” Amy said embittered. “And what’s with him?” she asked pointing at the Slytherin.

            “Oh, that was an accident in Herbology with slime moulds,” the Gryffindor replied and looked up when Madam Pomfrey returned.

            “It’s Potter’s fault,” Draco said, pouting.

Amy tried to hide her amusement.

            “Another accident?” Madam Pomfrey asked as she handed Amy a glass filled with a pink fluid. “Drink this. It makes the colour disappear.”

Amy took the glass and eyed it with a suspicious look while Madam Pomfrey checked on Draco.

            “Miss Granger, would you please explain how it happened?” she asked as she went back with the Head Girl into her office, leaving the Ravenclaw and Slytherin alone.

Draco watched Amy silently as she swirled the fluid in the glass thoughtfully. Then she gulped it and made a disgusted face.

            “Does it taste so awful?” he asked curiously.

Amy put the glass down on the bedside table and shook her head as she shuddered.

            “Awfully bitter. Tastes like rancid butter,” she replied but watched in blatant interest how her hair changed back into the soft honey brown.

However, the tips stayed curly.

            “Well, at least I look more decent now,” she said to herself and slid off the bed.

            “You look always good,” Draco said in a low voice and noticed the strange look the girl gave him.

Amy blushed a bit but shook off her embarrassment as quick as it appeared.

            “How did this accident actually happen?” she asked, changing the topic and resting her hands on her back.

            “Potter boasted about how well he can gain the slime from the moulds. We were supposed to gather it in jars for Professor Sprout who wants to use it for something. Anyway, these moulds are sputtering in every direction and you have to be very careful to avoid being hit. Potter ducked his head when his mould started to spit and I was the one to be hit,” the Slytherin explained, frowning. “He’s so annoying. Afterwards he claimed he gathered quite a lot.”

Draco gnashed his teeth in anger and Amy smiled amused. He sounded like a small child. She wondered when his disdain for Harry was going to come to an end.

            “It was an accident, Draco. The mould could have hit anybody and –“

            “– it didn’t. Now I have to walk around with this ugly stuff on my head. Who knows what it does to my hair? Maybe it will cause hair loss,” he hissed at her and raised his hand to his hair that was covered in the slimy stuff on his right side.       

            “Don’t touch it!” Amy shouted and jumped to his side to grasp his hand in midair. “I read about those moulds. Their slime will cause you blisters if you touch it.”

Draco blinked several times before answering. First he realized Amy standing very close to him, and then her holding his hand. The feeling made him dizzy. Amy didn’t seem to notice. However she became aware of it very soon as Madam Pomfrey and Hermione returned, noticing them holding hands. Hastily Amy let go of Draco’s hand and backed away.

            “I-I need to go back – to class,” she stammered and rushed out of the Hospital Wing.

Immediately the Slytherin missed the warmth of her hand and wondered why he felt so different. He was used of holding hands with a girl. After all he had dated some for a couple of months in the past. He took care not to look after her for he felt Hermione’s scrutiny and he didn’t want at all that she read his feelings. He gave her a cold glance as she was used to from him and concentrated on the nurse who removed the slime from his head, wearing rubber gloves, and put it into a jar she wanted to hand Professor Sprout later. She removed leftovers in his hair with a spell and then dismissed the two students. Without talking to each other, Hermione and Draco returned to the greenhouses.

Until lunch, Hermione was still thinking about what Amy had told her while staying at the Bright House.

_Does she know she’s turning Malfoy’s head? Does she suspect that Harry likes her very much? She never appeared to me like the boy’s heartthrob in school and she was never interested in boys or dating them. We are so similar. We are mostly engaged in studying._

She sighed.

_I have an unpleasant feeling that trouble lies ahead of us when Harry finds out that Malfoy might be in love with Amy._


	9. Dark Heart

 

I walk alone,  
my path is long;  
To the sky  
I look worrisome.

No star up there

Looks down on me

Dull the sky,

Dark my heart.

_~ Grief by Peter Cornelius ~_

At lunch Hermione noticed Harry’s eyes lingering for a while on the double doors of the Great Hall. She glanced inconspicuously at him and noticed that her best friend only started eating his chicken when he saw Amy walking towards the Ravenclaw table.

_The signs are by any means clear. You can’t fool me, Harry. I know you now for seven years._

She stirred her tomato soup absentmindedly and got Ron’s attention.

          “Hey, Mione, what’s the matter? Aren’t you hungry?”

          “It’s nothing, Ron. Of course, I’m hungry,” she reassured him and shoved he spoon into her mouth.

Ron raised an eyebrow.

        “There was nothing on the spoon, Hermione. What are you thinking of? Are you worried about not having read the new book for DADA? I don’t think Remus will ask difficult questions. It’s our first lesson,” he said, biting into a dumpling he had on his fork.

           “No, Ron, that’s not it, besides I’ve had a look into the book which you didn’t,” she admonished him.

          “Come on and spill the beans, what’s troubling you.”

          “That’s none of your business. If I told you, you’d freak out.”

         “Oi, Harry, you tell her,” Ron said to his best friend who had been gnawing on his chicken all the time, not really eating.

          “Hm?” he asked, looking at his friends. “What’s it?”

Ron groaned.

          “Where are you with your thoughts, mate?” he asked, turning again to his food.

_Definitely not at this table_ , Hermione answered Ron’s question, smiling.

But this time Harry noticed the smile she gave him and he suddenly knew that she had figured out where his thoughts were. He looked away with red ears and continued eating.

 

~*~

The whole day Hermione didn’t reveal what she was thinking about until Harry and Ron cornered her in the common room after dinner.

       “You haven’t been secretive since our third year and at that time it was a time-turner you didn’t tell us. What’s it now? Do you intend on telling us only at the end of the year?” Ron asked.

      “It would be better,” Hermione mumbled, opening her potions book. “You’re not going to leave me alone until I tell you, are you?”

          “Right,” Harry said.

Hermione sighed and rested her elbow on the armrest of the chair she was sitting in, and put her head in her hand.

        “Actually, it’s none of your business and I don’t think that you’ll like or care about it.”

_Okay, I think Harry will be bothered_ , she thought.

And then she told them what she had witnessed at the Hospital Wing. Ron’s reaction was clear. He crossed his arm and pouted.

          “Malfoy always thinks he can charm any girl,” he said.

          “Well, I rather think he knows that Amy’s not interested in him and that’s why he is going after her more keenly,” Hermione replied, frowning.

Glancing at Harry she noticed him looking lost in thought. She wanted to encourage him but she didn’t know whether he wanted Ron to know that he had started developing feelings for Amy.

          “I’m going to bed,” he said suddenly and rose from his armchair.

He was halfway up the stairs when he heard fast steps approaching.

         “Harry, wait,” Hermione called and he paused to turn to her with an expressionless face.

          “What next?”

         “Harry, I know… you really like Amy. She has detention tonight with Snape. Maybe you can catch her beforehand,” she suggested encouragingly.

It seemed as if Harry was considering it but then he frowned.

       “Why should _I_ do this?” he growled and vanished upstairs.

Hermione looked after him in bewilderment.

_Boys!_ , she thought shaking her head and setting her arms akimbo.

Harry stomped upstairs to his dormitory with his hands in his pockets and slumped down on his bed.

_Why has been my first day so ridiculous? I’d like to wring Malfoy’s neck. Isn’t it enough to have bedded half the girls of Hogwarts? Why’s he now after Amy? He’s the most loathsome guy I ever met – okay, right after Dudley – but he knows his father was there when her parents were killed. He can’t actually believe that Amy will fall for his charms, can he?_

He took his pillow, pressed it on his face and screamed. Nevile, who just entered, stared at him startled for the pillow had not been enough to muffle the cry of rage. Worried he touched Harry’s shoulder, who took the pillow off his face and glared at him with red cheeks.

Immediately Neville choked on his “Are you okay?” and scuttled off to his own bed. Huffing, Harry turned on his side and ignored Hedwig who was making noise with her beak because she wanted an owl treat. To distract himself he closed his eyes and remembered earlier that evening when he had left for a short visit to Hagrid’s after Charms. The sun had finally come out behind the clouds and it was warm enough for him to unbutton his cloak. His feet took him to the lake where he liked to linger if he wanted to have some peace and quiet. But after leaving the copse that surrounded the lake, he jumped back behind a tree because he spotted a student standing at the shore. He instantly recognised the dark blond, plaited hair. Her schoolbag lay forgotten beside her, covered by her dark cloak, and with deft hands she tossed flat stones over the smooth surface of the lake.

A smile graced Harry’s lips as he watched her but it disappeared when she turned and he saw her sad face. Amy had been crying. He felt compassion rise in him and the urge to go to her and take her into his arms again as he did at Grimmauld Place. However, his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground. He didn’t know if she wanted to be disturb in her tranquility. It seemed that this question hadn’t come to the mind of a certain Slytherin as he made a beeline for the Ravenclaw, stopping a few feet in front of her.

_What does he want?_ , Harry had wondered, unconsciously digging his fingernails into the bark of the huge chestnut tree he was hiding behind.

His ears were pricked like an owl’s to catch the faintest sound while watching Draco and Amy. He didn’t like it how well they were fitting in appearance. They would make the perfect couple.

Amy wore a scowl on her face that left Draco cold for he was standing casually in front of her, eyeing her.

            “You don’t have to wear your mask here, Draco,” she said. “Just tell me why you’re here and go away.”

_She calls him by his first name?_ , Harry thought bewildered. _How close are they already?_

The Slytherin stepped closer to the girl and put his schoolbag beside hers.

            “It was a felony and if I could assuage your pain, I’d do so but you don’t let me. You’re too proud for your own sake.”

            “Really?” Amy ranted. “And you aren’t? You don’t even dare going to Dumbledore although you need it badly. You don’t want to overcome your pride that you need help and that you depend on someone for once.”

            “And you –“ Draco began enraged.

           “And I’m hurt! My parents were killed and I don’t want to be comforted by the son of the murderer, don’t you get it! When I see you I see your father. You have the same blood and I’m just an inferior half-blood! What do you actually want from me?” Amy roared and tears were brimming in her eyes.

Harry was surprised to see Draco dumbstruck for the first time. From the distance he saw the Slytherin lower his gaze, his shoulders sagging.

_Well, Amy has a point._

           “I’m not like my father. You know that I don’t want to become a Death Eater,” Draco said in a calm voice and tried to touch the girl’s arm gently.

          “Don’t bother me! Just leave… I… I…”

But Amy couldn’t finish her sentence when she saw Draco’s extended hand. She grabbed her bag and cloak and rushed up to the castle, leaving a distressed Slytherin behind.

With raised eyebrows and eyes full of surprise, Harry leaned against the chestnut tree and couldn’t believe what he had witnessed.

_Is it really true that Malfoy doesn’t want to be a Death Eater?_

This thought still plagued him while lying on his bed. Finally he got up to distract himself with something else and listlessly opened his Astronomy book because that evening there was class for the seventh year Gryffindors at half past twelve on the Astronomy Tower.

 

~*~

After the unexpected meeting with Draco at the lake, Amy had rushed to the Ravenclaw Tower. She had thrown her leather bag into a corner and changed her school uniform against comfortable jeans and a beige jumper. With a sigh the fell on her bed and pressed her face into her pillow.

_That’s not fair at all! I got along with Draco so well at the beginning and now I don’t know if I should believe him that he really doesn’t want to become a Death Eater. I can see the truth in his eyes but it could be feigned and then I’d fall into the trap. I’m scared. Why didn’t the Dark Lord kill me? Why did he enjoy torturing me? I wish I had died that night. Mum, Dad, I miss you so much!_

Tears trickled down her cheeks into the pillow and sobbing she grasped a tissue. She didn’t want her classmates to see her like this and ask questions. She wiped her face hastily and got up to distract herself with the homework that was due the following day.

 

It was half an hour until it was dinnertime when Hermione was on her way from the library back to the Gryffindor Tower to leave her books in her room before she went to dinner with Ron and Harry. As she left she met Amy and seeing her expression she could tell that a lot of things were on her mind.

          “Hi, Amy,” she greeted her.

          “Hello, Mione.”

          “Where are you going?”

          “To Remus.”

          “Would you like to do the DADA homework together after dinner?” Hermione asked, fiddling with the clasp of her bag.

          “I’ve already finished all my homework,” was the dry answer.

Hermione glanced at Amy and frowned.

          “You alright? You seem embittered.”

         “Well spotted. I’ve detention at eight with Snape. My joy knows no bounds,“ Amy said in a hollow voice.

         “Oh. Right. You said so. This is because you ruined your potion today?“

      “Yes,” the Ravenclaw replied and stopped at the next staircase at the end of the corridor. “Wish me luck.”

          “You’ll survive it.”

          “I really hope so,” she replied.

_Otherwise I’ll apply for Snape’s resignation and the ban on any contact with Remus._

Hermione looked after her friend pitifully as she went down the stairs while she herself went upstairs. To have detention with Snape on the first day really wasn’t fun.

Amy paused in front of Remus’ door on the third floor that led to his quarters. She feared that he might be with Snape because it was after class and still time until dinner but even if it was so she knocked against the dark mahogany wood.

        “Come in,” was the answer and she opened the door. “Oh, hello, Amy, my little one.”

         “How many times do I have to tell you that I’m no longer ′the little one′?” the girl said, closing the door.

Remus smirked when he stood from his chair behind his desk and approached her.

         “You’ll always be my little girl,” he said gently, stroking her head. “Even if I know that you’ll turn eighteen in three months.”

She pouted and crossed her arms but enjoyed the caress nonetheless. Then she leaned against her godfather and sighed.

         “I don’t sleep well,” she began with what she wanted to talk about. “Every night I’ve nightmares about Mum and Dad being killed. I always woke up Hermione and Ginny at Grimmauld Place and now I fear that my silencing spell won’t be strong enough in my dormitory.”

She felt Remus wrap his arms around her and rest his chin on her head.

           “Actually I wanted to go to bed right after dinner, after I went to Madam Pomfrey asking her for a Dreamless Potion, but your so-called lover with the greasy hair,” Thereupon she received a thump on her shoulder. “wants me for detention at eight just because of a trifle in class.”

     “I know,” Remus said and in one fluent motion Amy disentangled from his embrace to look at him with wide eyes.

          “You know and you didn’t talk him out of it?” she asked indignantly, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

       “Yes, because I know why you deserve detention. You should pay extra attention in Potions on what you put into your cauldron. I would’ve liked to see your purple hair,” her godfather said amused.

Amy huffed and clenched her fists.

       “I can’t believe it! Teachers! You’ve conspired against me,“ she growled and stepped to the door.

         “That’s not true. Don’t say that, Amy. Anyone can earn detention. Even I when I was younger. Severus won’t let you scrub the floor,” Remus tried to allay her.

        “Yes, because he prefers to let students disembowel frogs and other ugly animals. You can 'scrub floors' at Filch’s.”

Amy put a hand on the handle and intented to leave. She was annoyed of not having found sympathy or comfort because of her sleeping problems from her godfather. She had lowered her gaze angrily and eyed the carpet.

            “Amy.”

Remus approached his goddaughter and put a hand on her shoulder causing the girl to look up.

         “Believe me, Severus won’t make it hard for you. He had to promise me.”

Doubting, Amy raised an eyebrow.

          “Really. And concerning your sleeping problem –“

         “– it would be my wish to sleep in your quarters as I used to when you visited and I was scared of the darkness. I always loved sleeping in your bed because you… you simply have a very calming nature.”

Remus remembered the time when Amy was a small child. When he visited her at home and had a sleepover in the guestroom she had always crawled into his bed at night because she was afraid of the shadows in her room. He had never sent her back to her bed because he had been afraid in bed as a child as well. He had put his arm around her and told her stories of his schooldays. She always fell asleep almost immediately.

He smiled and wanted to say something but Amy continued.

         “But now I’m too old for that and you have someone now you prefer to me… I understand that… you are older than me, and now you’ll tell me I should find a boy my age but they’re all so childish and only want one thing.”

She sighed and Remus pressed a kiss to her forehead.

         “You’re right with everything except for the fact that I’d like you to sleep here again but it would bother Severus.”

          “You sound like an old couple,” Amy said, pouting.

Remus ignored it with a smile and took his goddaughter’s hands in his own.

        “Severus can brew a Dreamless Potion for you. Just ask him. He made it for you at Grimmauld Place too,” he suggested. “It would be nice if you could get used to him.”

         “I’ve got used to him in all these seven years, but more to his insufferable nature. That he can have nice manners is still a mystery to me.”

        “You could unravel the mystery, then. You’re not in the house of the wise and smart for nothing.”

        “Ha, ha,” Amy said dryly and pushed down the handle. “I’m off to dinner.”

         “Yes, go ahead. I’ll be there shortly,” Remus said, ruffling Amy’s hair before the girl left his quarters, rearranging her hair.

_Well, this was for nothing. How could I expect Remus to stick by me? It’s about Snape after all. I don’t like this. As if this wasn’t enough that Remus has an affair with the Potions Master, there is Draco who wants something from me… Everything’s changing so fast that I feel left behind._

Pushing her hands in her trouser pockets, Amy went downstairs to the Great Hall, looking disappointed and unhappy.

~*~

During dinner she didn’t pay attention to anyone and stayed as long as the food was on the table. Lost in thoughts, she went to the library and immersed herself in a book that was about dream intepretation. She had already learned about it in her fifth year in Professor Trelawney’s class but now she was looking for a book that wasn’t written as vaguely as the textbook she had to use in fifth year. She whiled away her time in the library but was reminded of her detention when Madam Pince passed her table, asking her to leave because it was nearly eight o’clock. In a panic she put the book back on the shelf and rushed down the stairs to the dungeons. She must have set a record as she made her way from the fourth floor to Snape’s office in five minutes.

She knocked.

Her heart was tumbling like mad and because of her loud breathing, she nearly missed her professor’s voice answering her. The wall clock chimed eight times as she entered the dimly lit, small room. There was no fire in the fireplace, only few candles on Snape’s desk, where he arranged some parchments, illuminated the darkness. Quietly and with a glare Amy closed the door.

          “You’re on time,” the professor said, looking up at her.

_Well, what a deduction_ , Amy thought dryly, but kept her expression blank.

          “Please have a seat.”

_I don’t know if I can get used to his kindness_ , she added in her mind.

Because she left her cloak in her tower, the Ravenclaw had to clench her teeth to prevent making a clattering noise in this cold room. Scary monsters seemed to await her in the dark shadows of the room and she forced her eyes on the Potions Master so they weren’t glued to the glass jars on the wall that contained vile looking, slimy strange bits of animals. Waiting, she looked at him.

         “As I can see, your normal hair colour is back but it won’t repair your potion.”

Snape walked around the table and leaned against it as he halted in front of Amy who was sitting on the chair.

         “You’ll brew the potion again and this time I want it to be perfect.”

Severus knew that Amy’s potions were never perfect.

      “But, Sir, you know that I never satisfy your expectations,” the girl said and his lips curled into a knowing grin.

          “That is why you’re here. Come on.”

He turned to a shelf that was hidden in the darkness. With a suspicious expression Amy got up and followed him. Her professor seemed to sense her discomfort and took her arm. It was no forcing or hard gesture because his fingers were gentle.

      “Where are we going?” Amy asked tentatively, feeling more uneasy inspite of his gentleness.

It appeared weird to her.

         “To my lab,” he said curtly and then she watched Snape draw his wand, tapping the shelf that was hidden in the shadows and mumbling soft words which caused it to open. “Go inside and never fear.”

Amy looked up at the coal-black eyes of the Potions Master, which had an eerie glint in the dim candlelight, and didn’t see what she had expected. However, she gave the office a last wistful glance as if she was never going to see it again as soon as she had entered the private chambers of the devious head of Slytherin. She entered the room and was astonished to see how comfortable it looked. It made the impression of a living room because there was a brown leather sofa suite, a couple of paintings on the wall, a small table in front of the sofa, a grandfather clock and a big cupboard. With a wave of his wand he lit the candles on the table and the cast-iron chandelier. A nice fire crackled already opposite the sofa.

Amy was quite surprised to find the colours of Slytherin missing. It were more warm colours like brown and dark red that dominated the room. Her professor closed the door behind him and led her across the room to another door that was close to the fireplace. This time he entered first and Amy came into a room where the sunset light fell through two narrow windows high in the wall. The light barely illuminated the objects standing here, but flames flared up as soon as Snape passed a big cauldron. Amy’s eyes followed her professor’s every movement as he arranged different ingredients on a working table, thoughtfully playing with a curl of her hair. He poured water into a small cauldron and lit a flame underneath.

            “Have a seat on this stool and watch me,” he said to her and she came over to him and sat down with a questioning expression.

            “Professor, I thought –“

            “You can call me Severus when we’re alone,” he interrupted her but didn’t look at her.

All of a dither Amy stared at him.

_Yes, I should have seen this coming_ , she scolded herself and returned the dark look of her… yes, what was he now when she was allowed to use his first name?

            “I don’t know if I can,” she mumbled. “You’re my professor and you’ll be for the rest of my last year.”

            “I’m not forcing you,” he replied expressionless.

            “I thought I was supposed to brew the potion.”

            “Think, girl. I said so because anyone could’ve listened to our conversation.”

            “But then a Silencing Charm would have been the best.”

Severus eyed Amy next to him as if she was no seventh year.

            “And it doesn’t come to your mind that spells can be sensed? If there was someone listening on us outside he would’ve wondered why I used a spell on my office, and then gossip would spread what I wanted to do to you that I would need a Silencing Charm,” he replied and started to cut the ingredients.

With her ears red in embarrassment, Amy squirmed on her stool and decided to spend the rest of her detention, which didn’t feel like one, in silence. Severus Snape, whom she only knew as nasty, rude and insensitive, showed her a different face in his private chambers. He explained Amy every tiny detail of how to brew the Draught of Oblivion, and while she watched and listened to him with blatant curiosity and scepticism, she realised that he could be quite sociable, but maybe only because he was in his element and she was Remus’ godchild. However, Amy didn’t want to trust this kindness. Her professor might try hard to get along with her now but she doubted that he was doing it voluntarily and was able to keep it up.

Finally the potion was finished after an hour and they could hear the stroke of the grandfather clock, announcing quarter past nine. Severus poured the potion into a vial and put it onto a shelf next to the door where other strange potions were lined up. Amy, who had silently taken notes on a parchment he had given her, folded the paper and shoved it into her trouser pocket.

            “I hope you’ll do better next time we repeat this potion,” Severus said and cleared his working table with a wave of his wand. “Let’s go into the living room.”

_This sounds as if he wants me to stay longer_ , Amy thought alarmed. _But maybe I could really ask him for the Dreamless Potion._

So she followed his invitation and watched Severus more alarmed when he took of his cloak and robes, throwing them over an armchair. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers underneath. With a queasy feeling the went to the fireplace and eyed the pot with Floo Powder as if it was her means of escape.

            “Would you like something to drink?” Severus asked across the room and opened the cupboard that turned out to be a well-stocked bar.

From her position at the fireplace Amy could see multicoloured bottles shimmering in the candlelight. But now she was at the end of her tether. She absolutely couldn’t deal with this nice Potions Master and she had the dim feeling that everything was just a stunt. However, she remembered Remus’ words and tried to sound polite.

            “Severus.”

That name sounded so very strange but it went surprisingly smooth over her lips which he acknowledged with a glance in her direction.

            “Why’re you so nice to me? If you’re going to tell me now it’s because I’m Remus’ godchild or it was his wish to be nice to me then I’ll go because I can’t stand feigned kindness.”

How she got up the nerve to be so honest she didn’t know. However, the politeness didn’t work out. Severus swayed the brandy snifter he had taken out of the cupboard in his hands while eyeing the Ravenclaw who still hadn’t moved from the fireplace.

            “Well, I wondered when you’d ask me and first I must say that it was Remus’ request of me to try to get along with you.”

He saw the girl moving to the exit.

            “However,” he drawled, “I already knew at Grimmauld Place that it would be better to get along with you. It’s not like I can’t stand you.”

Amy had paused at the door and crossed her arms.

_Ah, really?_ , she thought spitefully.

            “You always treat us students as if we’re useless, stupid and just trying to harm you,” she said with a sour expression.

            “Did I ever say so?” Severus asked, sitting in an armchair.

            “Sometimes. And you give us the impression too.”

            “It’s your fault, then.”

            “I don’t need to understand you,” was her snotty answer.

            “That’s true. I’d rather, considering Remus, we aren’t acting like we want to kill each other when he’s present.”

            “Pfff.”

Amy noticed how much she was behaving like an idiot. Why did she argue with Professor Snape when she could just turn her back on him? However, he was right that they should start to get along, at least enough that they were not about throwing curses at themselves.

After a moment of silence Amy came to terms.

            “All right,” she sighed. “But on one condition.”

As if in slow motion Severus turned his head and his obsidian eyes appeared as if they wanted to bore through her. Unhindered Amy continued.

            “You’ll stop taking points from Ravenclaw.”

She knew this sounded stupid but she wanted to at least try.

            “I won’t agree to such terms”, he said cooly.

            “Okay,” the girl replied in the same voice and pushed the door handle down, about to leave.

            “But I can offer you my help with your homework.”

Amy turned slowly and pondered whether she should agree to his suggestion or not.

_It could be beneficial for me if he helps me. He knows much about Potions and Defence. I could get help from Remus too, but because he’s now trying so hard to form a truce with me…_

            “Okay,” she said, stepping closer to the sofa.

Severus eyed her steps with a pleased expression.

            “Would you like a glass of cherry brandy? Remus said you like it,” he said.

            “Remus said so, really?”

_Oh, Remus, you’ll pay._

            “Yes, I’d like to.”

_Great, now I’m already tamed with alcohol just because I’m of age, but hey, it’s my fault if I accept. Merlin, into which mess will I still get?_

In a fluent motion Severus was standing again at the bar and carried a bottle of cherry brandy and a snifter to the table. When she finally sat on the sofa, holding a full snifter with ruby liquid in her hand, Amy looked at her professor who was sitting in his armchair. The white shirt he was wearing under his robes stood in hard contrast to his jet black hair, that fell into his face, and the light of the candle gave his porcelain skin an orange glow.

            “Severus, Remus said I could ask you if you would brew me a Dreamless Draught. I have nightmares and I tried after class today to catch up with sleep I didn’t have in the last weeks. I cast a Silencing Charm over my bed just in case I was going to have a nightmare and of course Lisa Turpin had to wake me up asking me why I’m screaming. My spell must have gone weak. It might be because of my bad concentration. Severus, I don’t want to have those dreams again.”

She drank the cherry brandy in one gulp whereupon Severus raised an eyebrow in astonishment.

            “I see my parents beg for their lives and then being killed by a green flash of light. It’s horrible. You know, I can’t sleep every night at Remus’ just because he’s the only one I feel safe with.”

            “I understand your problem. Your magic is strongly affected by your emotional condition but I fear I can’t allow a student to stay every night at her professor’s quarters,” he said and raised an eyebrow in amusement.

            “He’s my godfather! But I don’t expect it from him to let me stay though,” the girl said indignantly. “However, I can’t account for that my marks will suffer from my sagging magic ability. And I don’t want to disturb my roommates’ sleep. So, are you going to brew the potion?”

            “Why aren’t you asking Madam Pomfrey?” was his counter question which she had expected.

            “Because I don’t want to be watched by her and asked how I’m feeling. Moreover, Remus recommended you,” she said with an insistent smile.

Severus rested his chin in his hand and gave Amy a stern look with his dark eyes.

            “The Dreamless Draught causes addiction if the dosing is wrong and you take it too long, do you know that?” he asked.

            “Yes, we learned that in your class after all,” was the bored answer.

            “You shouldn’t trifle with that.”

            “If you give it to me I will stick to the prescriptions. I wouldn’t want to take it longer than four weeks.”

            “And then only every two days,” he emphasized.

            “All right.”

For a moment Severus seemed to think about it but when his gaze fell on the nervous waiting and worried looking girl, he rose from his chair and left the room. Amy looked after him anxiously. Had she been too brazen? Her conscience struck her and she got up to follow him when he already came back, holding a bottle in his hand.

            “Severus, I –“

She paused and looked at the small bottle.   

            “It that the potion?”

            “What did you want to say?” he interrupted her.

_Why’s he countering?_ , she wondered but could stop herself from rolling her eyes.

            “Well, nothing. I just wanted to thank you,” Amy said.

            “I’m out of stock, so use it sparingly. I’ll make a new Draught and when you’ve finished the bottle, come to me. You take it every second day and only one tablespoon before going to bed. It should suffice a week,” he explained urgently. “Abide by it. If you feel any adverse effects like headache or nausea you have to tell me and you will discontinue.”

            “Okay.”

            “Good.”

Severus handed her the bottle and she took it carefully. The Potions Master looked thoughtfully at his protégé and put a hand on her shoulder.

            “You should go to bed now. It’s late.”

He moved away to the small table and took a sheet of paper to write something.

            “Take this just in case you meet Mr Filch,” he said, giving her the note.

_Miss Moon is on her way back to her Tower after finishing her detention._   
  
_S. Snape_

Amy read her professor’s familiar and elegant writing. He had never given her an excuse slip before. In the past she had to flee from Filch or had to be escorted by Hermione who had been a Prefect last year. After all, the students weren’t allowed to walk around the castle after curfew. Even when they had had a detention.

Why was Severus now giving her this note?

            “Thank you,” she said, shoving the paper into her trouser pockets while approaching the door.

Severus followed her, opened the door and accompanied her into his office, only lit by the embers in the fireplace.

It was inexpressibly cold in the room. She heard him lifting the Anti-intruder jinx from the door and then saw him opening it for her.

            “Goodnight,” he said, eyeing her one last time.

She returned his gaze, diving into his obsidian eyes who were as dark as her heart. At least she felt like this.

Empty and dark.

She nodded, glad to be able to go back to her tower because she was cold without her cloak. Then she rushed along the corridor to climb the stairs to reach the Entrance Hall. Her fingers clasped the bottle as if it was her anchor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's read so far. I'd appreciate your thought and constructive criticism.


	10. Cry for Help

I give to you   
my open hand.  
Envy and distrust   
stay far away.

 

My open hand  
take it firmly,  
the same help,  
you have given me

_~ The open hand by Herta Nettke ~_

Without being caught by Filch, Amy reached the Ravenclaw Tower. She knew she could use the charter she had been given for another time because no date was written on it. As promised she stuck to the prescription to only take a tablespoonful of the Dreamless Draught. It took immediate effect because as soon as she had put down the spoon on her bedside table she fell into a deep, peaceful slumber. Her being well-rested helped to gain back her good mood. After a week the bottle was empty and Severus had brewed her a new one which he left to her with a serious reminder. Amy was happy that she had got rid of her nightmares.

 

Soon September became October and the autumn storms began. It was getting noticeably cooler and the students stayed in their common rooms more often during their spare time. Unlike the others, Amy and Hermione weren’t staying in their towers on this very cold afternoon where the biting wind was blowing in their faces on their way to Hagrid’s hut. It was rare that Amy paid the half-giant a visit but he was delighted to see her even then. He offered them delicious tea and cauldron cakes which the girls didn’t decline. Anyway, it was a surprise that both were edible.

            “It’s a terrible thin’ with yer parents,” Hagrid said, putting one of his big hands on Amy’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.

            “Hmm,” she just said, looking into her teacup with expressionless eyes.

            “But life goes on. Yeh still have yer friends who won’ leave yeh alone,” Hagrid continued and looked at Hermione.

She took Amy’s hand with a gentle smile and bit into her cauldron cake. Her friend squeezed her hand as a sign that everything was alright and looked out of the window. The wind was tearing at the coloured leaves on the trees. Brown, red, orange, yellow and golden ones fell to the ground.

Golden?

Amy blinked twice because she thought Hagrid’s window was fogged up, and then she looked closer. At the edge of the forest, she could see a group of students and someone with fair hair was lying at their feet. Vaguely she saw the teenagers draw their wands.

            “Hermione? Look outside,” she said and pointed at the window, making Hermione curious.

She followed Amy’s gaze and gaped in horror.

            “That’s Malfoy, isn’t he?”

            “I think this doesn’t look good at all,” Amy mumbled and rose reflexively.

            “We’ll go and check what’s going on,” Hermione told Hagrid who was now looking out of the window too.

Amy had already gone outside before Hermione could follow her and the half-giant paused on his doorstep, looking stony-faced as the girls left. Hermione adjusted her Head Girl badge when she approached the group of students. Amy had pulled the hood of her cloak over her head against the wind. The closer they came to the forest the better they could see the colours of the scarfs around the dark cloaks. They were mostly Slytherins and few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. They recognised Goyle, Crabbe and Nott; the others had their hoods pulled up. Because of the blowing wind the girls could approach them unheard but drew their wands, too, just to be on the safe side. The reason was Draco Malfoy whom they saw writhing on the ground. Amy looked helplessly at Hermione. How could they win against eight students?

            “ _Crucio!_ ” Crabbe shouted, his voice full of hatred, and the girls winced.

Suddenly Amy realised that Draco must have done something that his comrades, who were accompanying him since the first school day at Hogwarts, treated him like a criminal. However, it was a much more worse thing to use an Unforgivable as a punishment. Hermione had fallen into a short stupor just like Amy by witnessing this.

            “ _Stupefy_ _!_ ” Amy exclaimed, who had pulled herself together again, and the curse hit Crabbe in his abdomen, causing him to fall to the ground by the force.

The bystanders turned to the newcomers with their wands at the ready. Amy had stepped in front of Draco who was looking up at her in pain and confusion.

            “Are you insane?” Hermione yelled and received glares from the Slytherins. “To use an Unforgivable on a classmate – and he’s Head Boy too – is a felony.”

“Shut up, you foul little know-it-all mudblood!” Pansy hissed whom they recognised when she turned to them. “Head Boy or not, you don’t understand the reason why he has to be punished. You live in your own little ideal world.”

            “Whatever reason it is, it’s forbidden. Fifty points off each of your houses,” Hermione ranted. “Now go to your common rooms or I will report to Professor Dumbledore.”

            “Don’t you ever believe that we’ll put up with that!” Wayne Hopkins snorted, a Hufflepuff, and turned around.

At that moment it was secondary to Amy that she lost house points because of the assembled Ravenclaws. Draco, who had managed to straighten up again, scowled over Amy’s shoulder at Crabbe. The other boy wasn’t happy about being stunned by a girl.

            “We’re not done with you. We don’t like weaklings and losers. Don’t you dare betray us!” he spat at Draco before turning as well and following his friends.

Frowning and her foot tapping the ground, Hermione had set her arms akimbo and looked after the retreating students who were scowling back at them. Amy turned questioningly to Draco who was paler than usual. His hair was tousled and dirty from writhing on the ground, and his robes were stained too.

            “Why did they go at you?” she asked, still looking stunned.

Draco sighed and pushed his hair out of his face. His gaze fell on Hermione, who was eyeing him and Amy, and became serious.

            “I don’t want you to go report to Dumbledore,” he addressed the Head Girl insistently. “Nor you,” he turned to Amy.

            “But they overstepped the line!” Hermione protested. “I’m sure Dumbledore already knows that an Unforgivable has been used on the grounds.”

            “We’re at the edge of the forbidden forest and have already crossed the border of the grounds. So he doesn’t know,” Draco disagreed. “I hope so.”

            “We won’t tell him. Promise!” Amy said, winking at Hermione which the Slytherin didn’t see.

Draco’s eyes darted suspiciously back and forth between the girls and Hermione nodded agreeingly even though she wondered what Amy was up to.

            “You going to tell us the reason now?” Amy asked again.

Draco had got a grip on himself again and picked up his wand which Crabbe had thrown on the ground before leaving. There was nothing reflected in his eyes that Amy could identify as a certain feeling.

            “Well... I’ll leave you alone, then,” Hermione said, who had understood the expression on the Slytherin’s face, and headed slowly to the castle.

Puzzled Amy looked after her but then she realised why Draco was humming and hawing. He wanted to be alone with her. However, the Slytherin was surprised that Hermione left. After all she was clever, had seen him and Amy holding hands in the infirmary, and could surely imagine why he wanted to be alone with the Ravenclaw. The only thing he now wondered was: Why did Hermione leave her best friend in his presence without complain? After all, he and the Head Girl were at war since first year and were even still fighting now at having reached the highest position a student could earn. There was probably a high degree of trust the girls shared. A trust he wished to have to any person. For a year now, he had been trying to gain Amy’s trust.

When Hermione was out of sight, Amy looked questioningly at him. She felt somewhat unprotected without her friend but actually it was only Draco who needed protection. She was bursting with curiosity what had happened to him.

            “Let’s go to the Owlery. There we can talk,” the Slytherin suggested and went ahead.

For a moment Amy looked bewildered but then she followed suit. There was only one window open in the Owlery, so the cold wind didn’t wake those owls which were sleeping, and Draco and the Ravenclaw were surrounded by semi-darkness after closing the door. With her lit wand Amy found the staircase, which led to the higher located roosts of the owls, and sat down on a step. In the dim light she saw Draco standing beside a closed window. His fair hair was clearly visible and she saw his head hanging low. For a while there was silence and Amy listened to the owls which were hooting softly or ruffling their wings.

            “I think you already found out that the newspapers published my father’s escape. Someone helped him and they did it cleverly, so it was only noticed yesterday. He is back home. If only short-lived because the Ministry of Magic is looking for him at our house. Though… my father is very disappointed in me. I don’t meet his expectations to follow in his footsteps at all,” Draco suddenly said. “When I turned seventeen in June, I was _allowed_ to my first meeting with Voldemort.”

His voice was filled with repulsion and sarcasm that gave Amy goose bumps. Just him saying the name gave her the creeps.

            “I was one of the last of those pure-blood families whose children became of age this year and supposed to serve the Dark Lord. Everyone has to pass a test to be allowed within the ranks of his followers.”

Amy wondered why he told her that but she would have been the last to interrupt him now.

            “Until yesterday I had time to decide whether I want to become a Death Eater. Of course, I was expected not to decline because it has been my destiny since the beginning. But I told you that I don’t want to be like my father. I don’t want to kill innocent people just to serve a madman. All those you’ve seen earlier attended the swearing-in ceremony last night and received the Dark Mark after torturing and killing nameless Muggles. It was horrible to witness. I could understand that father hates Half-bloods and Muggles, but why they have to be killed for what they can’t help to be, I never found comprehensible.”

Amy saw that he had sunk to the floor, burrowing his head in his hands. She could really feel the pain his posture was expressing. Her mistrust dwindled with every second she was watching him.

Draco Malfoy was in despair and vulnerable. Who would’ve thought that?

It destroyed her picture of the arrogant, Muggle-hating Slytherin and she went over to him to try to give him some comfort. When she put her hand on his shoulder he cringed and he looked up at her in the half-light.

            “I did something that is tantamount to betrayal in the Dark Lord’s opinion. I asked for a delay of my decision to be accepted in his ranks. My father was dismayed and the Dark Lord gave me a look that could’ve killed and his posture told me that he was disapproving of my application, but he granted my request graciously. That is the reason why the others were so mad at me. They thought me to be as loyal as they are and don’t understand why I seem to call everything into question. Everyone thought I’d say yes immediately. But they don’t know me. They misjudge me. I’m not the same as they are. Everything I did was just a façade to protect myself.”

Amy’s heart opened at his words and she realised what a sign of confidence it was that he told her that.

            “I don’t know what I should do to escape the Dark Mark. It would be the betrayal of my family’s beliefs and opinions and I wouldn’t get away with it if I refuse the initiation,” Draco said in a strangled voice.

His face was fully covered by his hands so Amy squatted to push them aside and be able to look at him.

            “Draco, I advise you to go to Dumbledore. I told you weeks ago,” she said and let go of his hands.

Embittered he looked at her.

            “That’s easy for you to say. It would soon spread among the teachers and then it wouldn’t take long until the students hear about it,” he said before turning his head to look away.

            “How do you want to know? Dumbledore is a trustworthy person and I’m sure he will come up with an idea,” Amy said resolutely. “Maybe there are others who will make the same decision just like you.”

With a weak smile Draco turned to her and lifted a hand to brush an unruly strand of Amy’s hair behind her ear. Her gaze fell bashfully to the floor.

            “Actually, it’s enough that you listened to me,” he whispered.

            “But I can’t help you and you really need help.”

Draco lowered his gaze wearily.

            “Thank you for being here with me,” he said into the silence.

            “Never mind. I thought different of you first but now I think… that you really need a kick in the ass if you don’t pull yourself together now,” Amy said, grinning. “Come on, get up! I’ll accompany you back to the castle. But please do think about going to the headmaster.”

She rose and looked expectantly down on the Slytherin. He got up slowly and returned the grin, if only briefly. He went past her to the door, opened it and waited for Amy. The Ravenclaw looked at him thoughtfully and eyed his expression that was again unreadable. Finally, she overcame her timidity and took his hand when she stepped out of the Owlery.

            “Everything is going to be alright,” she assured him. “Definitely.”

 

~*~

On this cold day, two men, who were ignorant of the facts Amy had learned, were spending the evening together in the DADA teacher’s quarters. The light of a warm fire fell on a man who was sitting on the sofa, swaying a brandy snifter in his slender hand and looking at his lover who was standing in front of the window lost in thought, staring outside.

            “Are we going to spend our time together or how long do you intend to stand there?”, came the drawling voice of Severus Snape.

            “She told me she’d visit me today after going to Hagrid’s. It’s already past four and she’s always on time.”

            “Looks like she stood up her precious godfather,” Severus scoffed amused and put down the glass on the small coffee table in front of the sofa. “Lately I’ve noticed her hanging around with the Golden Trio and it seems to leave marks.”

Remus Lupin showed no sign of reaction because he saw something in the courtyard that gained his attention.

            “If it was only that, it wouldn’t concern me,” he said sternly and frowned.

Severus had risen and came over to see what had caused this reaction. With blatant interest he watched Draco and Amy walk across the yard and disappearing in the castle.

            “Well, you’re not the only one who’s smitten with a Slytherin,” he whispered into Remus’ ear and put his hand on the other man’s shoulder which caused goosebumps on his lover’s neck.

            “Who says that Amy is smitten with him? She knows that Draco’s father was among those who killed her parents, and he wouldn’t get involved with her just because of the reason that she’s no pure-blood,” Remus said to calm himself.

            “That may be so,” Severus said and turned his lover around. “But you’re a werewolf, you know many terrible things about me and yet you got involved with me, a Slytherin. Moreover, Draco is not like his father and I guess Amy is clever enough to know that.”

Severus’ coffee-brown eyes looked intently at him before cupping his lover’s head in his hands and brushing his sensuous lips against Remus’ in a gentle kiss.

            “Am I disturbing you?” asked a timid female voice from the door.

Displeased Severus broke the kiss and gave the girl a killing glance. She had come up the stairs too fast for his liking.

            “Absolutely not,” Remus said kindly, poking his lover with his finger to stop his glaring.

            “You seem to be very engrossed,” the girl mumbled blushing, knowing she was disturbing them.

During the last five weeks she had slightly become accustomed to their relationship, but was always embarrased when seeing them intimately.

            “We _were_ ,” Severus grumbled and sat down on the sofa again where he emptied his brandy snifter. “You should’ve knocked.”

            “I did but you didn’t hear me.”

            “Next time you should definitely put a spell on the door, Remus,” Severus said insistently. “It could’ve been McGonagall.”

Amy looked indecisively from him to Remus who was smiling and closing the door she had left open in her bewilderment.

            “Please be nice, Severus,” Remus asked and poured hot chocolate into a mug that was standing on the table.

            “I’m _nice_ as always,” the dark-haired professor said and gave Amy a stilted friendly smile when she sat down.

            “Sorry I’m late. I got distracted,” the girl said and put her hands in her lap.

            “By a certain Draco Malfoy?” Severus got amused to the point and Amy’s ears turned glaring red which wasn’t caused by the hot chocolate she had started to sip.

            “How do you know? It’s not what you think,” she spluttered.

            “My eyes are everywhere,” Severus said in a mysterious voice. “Well, what am I thinking?”

Remus, who was sitting opposite the sofa in an armchair, would have complained about these questions already if he hadn’t been as curious as Severus.

            “Amy, you know that Draco is not good company for you,” he interfered with a stern expression.

            “I know who is good for me and who isn’t. I’ve a keen sense. Don’t worry about me, Remus! Besides you misjudge him as everybody else,” the Ravenclaw complained, pouting.

            “I told you she knows what she’s doing,” Severus casually mentioned which only increased Remus’ frown.

With wide eyes Amy looked at the Potions Master.

            “I’m not in a relationship with Draco Malfoy if that’s what you fear,” she said indignantly, looking puzzled at Remus. “We just talked.”

            “So, that’s how 'holding hands' is called nowadays?“ Remus said sarcastically.

            “Are you jealous or just worried?” Amy asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Remus stared at the girl and Severus surprisingly gave a deep laugh.

            “You’re jealous? Why? He’s a Slytherin,“ Amy tried to calm him, though she was taken by surprise, too, by the pleasant laughter of the Potions Master.

She had never thought he could do so.

            “That’s why I’m worried,” Remus said.

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” Severus interjected immediately.

Amy sighed when both of them held a staring contest. She sipped her hot chocolate and helped herself to some cookies that were lying in a bowl on the table. Thoughtfully she stared into the fire and noticed belatedly that she was looked at.

            “What’s the matter?” she addressed Remus.

            “We think you should stop taking the Dreamless Draught. You’ve been taking it long enough now and if you continue it’ll have a bad effect on your system,” he replied.

            “But then the dreams will come back…” the girl whispered crestfallen.

“First you should find out if they really do,” Severus objected.

“Alright,” Amy said after a while of pondering and looked at Remus’ wall clock. “Well, I better go back to my tower, then.”

She rose faster than usual and left the room earlier than expected without looking back.

            “She’s hiding something,” Remus said, scratching his chin pensively.

            “I’ve the same feeling,” Severus agreed, rising.

            “I wonder whether it’s something alarming.”

            “Surely you’ll know soon. Nothing escapes your nose,” Severus said, who had stepped behind Remus, putting his hands on the werewolf’s shoulders. “Meanwhile I’ll keep an eye on the young Malfoy.”

Remus nodded with a stern expression and leaned back his head.

 

~*~

After the quarrel with the Slytherins and the other students, Hermione had furiously gone back to her room under the rooftop she occupied as Head Girl in the tower with the girls dormitories. Just like Muggles do she threw some logs into the still glowing fire of her fireplace (some wizards used magic for that simple action) and put her winter cloak over her desk chair. It was a pleasant feeling to have the privilege of owning a single room as Head Girl, because she had grown up as an only child and had been used to sleeping alone the first eleven years. But the first days of her last year had been strange to Hermione because she missed the noises of her room mates. But here she had a bigger bed, a huge wardrobe of her own, a desk and a bookshelf where she could pile up all her school books and other ones. There was a dark blue, fluffy carpet in front of the fireplace which was comfortable to be used for doing homework while lying on her stomach and enjoying the warmth of the fire. But now the girl was too agitated to do so and that’s why she let herself fall onto her bed, staring at the canopy.

_I don’t understand why Malfoy doesn’t want Dumbledore to know about the incident. The way it looked it seems that his best ′friends' hate him for something. Was Amy maybe right with her opinion that he’s scared? That sounds so controversial for our boot-licking loudmouth of Slytherin. I don’t trust him at all but Amy is good-natured as always. He will certainly wind Amy round his little finger with his story and… oh, I could freak out!_

She jumped from her bed and stared into the fire, frowning, when there was suddenly a knock at her door and Harry was entering the next minute.

            “Harry, I didn’t say e _nter_ ,” she snapped at her friend who had come in, clad in his Quidditch robes, dirty shoes and carrying his firebolt.

His cheeks were red and his hair wilder than usual, caused by the biting wind outside.

            “Sorry. Gosh, what’s the matter? Next time I’ll wait, promise,“ he said as he saw his friend’s contorted face. “You look like you’ve had a quarrel with some Slytherins.”

Hermione stared at him. Sometimes Harry could darn well guess the reason of her mood.

            “So, I’m right,” the dark-haired boy said sternly, leaning his broom against the wall.

Then he took off his Quidditch cloak and his dirty shoes and made himself comfortable on the fluffy carpet.

            “Yes, you are,” Hermione said meakly and joined him. “You seem to know me well.”

            “Well, after seven years I should, shouldn’t I?”, Harry asked grinning and warmed his feet. “Do you want to tell me who got on your nerves?”

            “Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy,” she replied.

            “I see. Did they insult you?”

            “Yes, but that wasn’t the problem.”

            “Well, what happened, Hermione? I don’t want to drag every word out of you,” Harry said impatiently.

            “I just don’t want to talk about it,” she said.

_I don’t want to break Amy’s promise and besides I need to question her why she winked at me. This girl always comes up with the most bizarre plans._

            “Alright,” Harry said and stared into the fire as well.

They were silent for a while, the wind was howling outside, the wood was crackling in the fire and Harry wiggled his toes to get them warm.

            “Hermione?”

 _Oh, this is the voice he uses when he wants to talk about girls_ , she thought amused.

            “No, I won’t brew a love potion for you,” she said, grinning.

            “Hermione! Since the incident with Romilda Vane’s chocolates I’ve had enough of it.”

Hermione chuckled.

            “No, it’s something different,” Harry defended himself and turned red. “Well, you are my best friend and you have a boyfriend and you are the only one I can ask without feeling like a complete idiot.”

Now Hermione was looking curiously at him and was interested in what he was going to say.

            “Well… how do you know in general that you are in love?” he asked, kneading his fingers in his lap.

His friend blinked twice and frowned.

            “But Harry, you’ve been in love already. With Cho Chang,“ she said. “Or not?”

            “I was, yes… no.”

            “Well, make up your mind.“

            “I thought her beautiful, but her kisses were terrible, and I had butterflies in my stomach, but she was too sensitive and always spoke of Cedric... She was just a crush.”

            “Oh, that’s how it was,” Hermione said with wide eyes and nodded. “And this feeling didn’t satisfy you?”

            “No, absolutely not. In the end, I was only the hero for Cho. Well… and I wanted to know how you feel now that you are in a relationship with Charlie.”

Now it was Hermione’s turn to blush.

            “When you are in love you always think about them, you wish to be with them as often as possible, you have butterflies in your stomach when you see, hear or think of them. You want to know more about them, and to understand and help them. You can barely sleep at night if they're not with you, you get jealous if you see them talking or being together with someone else, you worry about them, and in the beginning you see your life through rose-coloured glasses until you realise if they are the right person for you or not,” Hermione said, smiling devoutly.

Harry had watched and listened to her intently, and looked at his hands when she finished.

            “Harry, do you feel anything I told you?” his friend asked, eyeing him.

The boy raised his head to look her in the eye and chewed on his bottom lip.

            “Yes,” he whispered.

            “Oh, Harry,” Hermione said smiling and put an arm around him. “And who is it?”

A sigh escaped the boy’s lips and he buried his head in his hands, ruffling his hair by doing so.

            “It’s hopeless.”

            “Why?”

            “Because I saw her today holding hands with Draco Malfoy in the Entrance Hall,” Harry said, burying his hands in the soft carpet, frowning. “I’d like to strangle him.”

 _Oh, oh, I knew it would come to this_ , Hermione thought with concern.

            “It’s Amy, isn’t it? You’re in love with Amy?” she asked carefully.

Harry’s eyes sparkled agitatedly as he nodded.

            “Well, I noticed a while ago. Somehow I’m happy. I already knew at Grimmauld Place. But I thought you’re more ambitious, Harry. You shouldn’t jump to conclusions by what you see. Sometimes you can be wrong only because you assume something that’s not true,” Hermione said.

            “What do you want to say?”

            “That you shouldn’t jump to conclusions. If you’re really in love with Amy then show her. Fight for her. Only because she is walking around holding hands with Malfoy doesn’t mean that she’s dating him. Yes, I know it’s natural to think that but it could be just a misinterpretation.”

            “I hate Malfoy.”

            “Yes, don’t worry. I know that Amy is not in love with him.”

            “Girls are so complicated. Why’s she so chummy with him, then?” Harry said indignantly and rose.

            “You should ask her yourself. She knows best.”

            “Ask her… easier said than done. I just can’t go over to her and say 'Hi Amy, I love you, why are you fooling around with Malfoy?'“

Hermione snorted with laughter.

            “No, of course not. But you can show her your affection by finding out what she likes and what she’s interested in.”

            “But you are her friend. I can ask you too,” Harry said.

            “Well, this would be too easy. Now, knight in shining armour, sally forth to rescue your princess from the grip of the snake!” Hermione said enthusiastically, rising.

            “Um, what?”

            “You’ll make it, Harry. It’s only Malfoy and so far you’ve always won against him.”

            “Yes, but only at Quidditch, and Amy is no snitch I can catch easily.”

            “Right, and that’s why you should try hard.”

            “Why are you telling me all this?” Harry asked who had walked to the door to satisfy his ambition in winning Amy over.

            “Because I want to see you smile and happy again.”

            “Thanks, Hermione.”

            “You’re welcome,” the brunette said, hugging her friend at the door.

She closed it behind him after he left and leaned against the wood.

_Oh my, Hermione, now you’re already playing psychologist, matchmaker and relationship counsellor at once. I really wonder how it’ll turn out._

She sat down at her desk, wrote a note on a slip of paper and went over to the fireplace, where she threw Floo Powder into the fire and then the paper into the green flames, calling “Ravenclaw Common Room”.

 _Well, the first part of the mission to come to Harry’s aid is done_ , she thought amused and went down to the common room to write a letter to Charlie.


	11. Rivals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all my readers and followers. :)

I found you  
and I give you my heart;  
wrapped in my love;  
tied with the ribbon of my longing;  
protected under the pledge

of secrecy;  
if you give me your heart in return.

_~ Gift of Love by Annegret Kronenberg ~_

Megan Jones and Lisa Turpin were in the Ravenclaw common room when the note came out of the fireplace, falling to the ground in front of the sofa. Surprised Megan picked it up and read that it was for Amy. Because she had seen her going upstairs minutes ago she ascended the stairs and entered their dormitory where she found Amy lying face down on her bed, her head on her pillow. She approached her carefully. Was Amy crying?

            “Amy, is everything all right? There came a letter for you out of the fireplace,” Megan said, pausing in front of her bed.

            “Really?” Amy said surprised, sitting up and not looking as if she had been crying at all.

            “There you are.”

Megan gave her the note.

            “Thank you.”

Amy took it and turned away to read it. Megan turned on her heel and left the room.

 

_Dear Amy,_

_I’m waiting outside in front of the guarding eagle knocker. Please come._

 

Nothing else was standing on the note and Amy pondered at seeing the handwriting, but couldn’t tell who it belonged to. Hermione had been clever enough and changed her own handwriting, so it looked more like a boy’s.

_Who might that be? I just met Draco, and Remus would never send me a note like this to meet me._

She put the note into her bedside table and went downstairs to the entrance of the Ravenclaw Tower. Along the way she smoothed down her hair, which she was wearing down, still pondering who wanted to talk to her. She opened the door, that led into the corridor, and stepped out. She had barely stepped outside, when she suddenly lost her balance and fell into Harry’s arms because she tripped over a notch on the floor. Surprised she stretched out her arms to catch her fall, and felt strong hands wrap around her waist and her head being pressed against a warm shoulder. For a moment she paused and inhaled the pleasant, familiar smell, but then she pushed back and escaped the hands that had caught her. Puzzled she looked into green eyes that were lighter than hers and looked slightly embarrassed to the ground.

            “That was good timing,” Harry said, surprised as well how lucky he was suddenly.

Amy had felt so wonderful in his hands and he wished to hold her again. It had been as pleasant as their first hug at Grimmauld Place.

 _Go in and win, lion!_ he encouraged himself.

            “Um, thank you for catching me. I must’ve got entangled in something,” Amy said, searching the floor with her eyes to find the cause.

Then it came to her mind what she had forgotten for a moment.

_He must’ve written the note. I can see no-one else here around. I wonder what he wants?_

            “Y-you're welcome.”

_Merlin, Harry, just talk to her. She’s not Cho. You don’t need to stammer. You’ve already talked to her at Grimmauld Place._

            “Would you like to join me going to the lake?”

 _Huh? Harry Potter wants to go to the lake with me?_ , Amy wondered surprised. _And I thought Quidditch is more important to him. But it’s nice he asked me._

            “Yeah, sure. I’ll just go get my cloak,” she said smiling, vanishing in her tower for a moment.

Meanwhile Harry was overflowing with joy.

As Amy came back she saw him leaning casually against the opposite wall, pushing off it to join her. Silently they walked side by side along the corridors and Harry noticed that Amy had a very smooth walk; almost floating along. He had never noticed it before and wondered why he did now. Her winter cloak was billowing behind her as if she had trained it to move elegantly. A gentle smile and a twinkle in her eyes met the young man, as he looked at her face, and hastily he looked ahead of himself again to prevent tripping over his own feet. They came outside into the fresh air, crossed the courtyard and headed for the stairs that led to the boathouse. The staircase wound itself over the rocks, the castle was located on, down to the lake where the last glittering rays of the sunlight danced over its surface. The sun had not yet vanished behind the mountain tops and would still take a while until it did.

Harry and Amy reached the boathouse and he pondered what he was supposed to do with the girl now that he led her here. Hermione had advised him to figure out her likings. Then he would have at least a topic for a conversation. Just when Amy bent down to pick up a flat stone he realised that he was still awfully dirty from Quidditch training. He quickly cast a cleaning spell on his robes and sighed inwardly for leaving his broom in Hermione’s room. Amy threw the stone across the water and looked questioningly at Harry as if encouraging him silently to talk to her.

            “Tomorrow will be our first Hogsmeade weekend. Would you like to go with me?” he asked the first thing that came to his mind, feeling his heart pounding hard in his chest.

            “Yes, I’d like to, but I thought you’d go with Hermione and Ron,” Amy said surprised.

She hadn’t expected Harry to ask her but she liked the idea of going to the village with him. However, she guessed it would start rumours.

            “I went with them to Hogsmeade over the past few years. They won’t be angry if I don’t join them this time,” Harry explained.

They started walking along the path that went around the lake and didn’t notice that someone was watching them.

            “How are you doing?” Harry asked after a while and eyed Amy’s facial expression to find out if he put his foot in it or not.

The girl looked indecipherably at him and lowered her gaze.

            “I’m having nightmares and need to take the Dreamless Draught to be able to sleep at night,” she whispered.

Harry stepped closer to her and pondered if he should put his arm around her for comfort.

            “Though I can’t remember my parent’s death, sometimes I dream of them too,” he said and decided to put at least his hand on Amy’s shoulder.

She raised her head and looked distraught at Harry.

            “It’s going to be all right some day,” she mumbled.

He took his hand off her shoulder and didn’t know what to answer. They continued walking silently.

            “What do you like doing in your spare time?” Harry asked to distract from the sensitive issue.

            “Um... reading or trying to finally learn flying on a broom,” Amy said.

            “I can help you.”

            “Would you really do that? That’d be great but the problem is that I’m a tiny bit afraid of heights.”

            “We’ll manage somehow,” Harry said confidently and was glad that he succeeded in distracting Amy.

At once he raised his wand and she looked at him in surprise.

            “ _Accio Firebolt!_ ” he shouted.

 

Meanwhile, Hermione had noticed Harry’s Firebolt still standing in her room and had given it to Ron who had put the broom next to his friend’s bed. As the magic took hold of it, the broom went out of the window and rushed to the ground. Surprised Ron looked outside and saw his best friend standing far in the distance with a girl. He could only guess that it was Amy because they were too far away.

Harry caught his broom elegantly and looked excitedly at the girl at his side.

            “Would you like to try it now? Let’s take a flight around the school so you can get a feeling for flying again,” he suggested.

            “Okay, but please don’t fly fast. I’m only used to my slow Comet 260,” Amy asked him and sat behind Harry.

            “Promise. If you like you can hold onto me. Ready? Let’s go.”

He pushed of the ground with a jolt and Amy was startled and wrapped her arms almost in panic around his waist. It sent shivers down Harry’s spine when he felt her warm body press against his back, and he gulped.

 _You have to fly, Harry. Don’t forget that_ , he reminded himself and moved his broom in a slow pace over the grounds of the castle.

Now they saw who had been watching them because the person stepped out of a tree’s shadow and such platinum blond hair wasn’t very common at Hogwarts. 

 _Well, Malfoy, now you see what you missed_ , Harry thought scornfully and flew over the Slytherin.

Amy, however, looked briefly at Draco and waved at him, smiling cheerfully. She couldn’t know what the young man was feeling inside. At high speed Harry flew past the castle’s towers, circled them and dove under the bridges, so the girl had to grasp him tighter.

            “Harry, please not so fast,” she squeaked and tugged on his cloak.

The broom slowed down but it still circled the Astronomy Tower until they went across the meadows and stopped. Amy tumbled to the ground and stared at the sky, seeing the clouds spin in front of her eyes.

            “I’m sorry, Amy,” Harry said apologetically and leant over her.

Now even Harry’s face was spinning in front of her eyes and she lifted her hands towards him, so the boy bent forward and was pulled down next to her on the grass.

            “That wasn’t good at all,” the girl growled playfully and started to tickle the boy after her dizziness had faded.

            “Hey, hey, hey!”, Harry exclaimed who was totally surprised when Amy lunged at him. “Don’t, I’m ticklish,” he laughed and tried to escape the fingers tickling his stomach.

            “What do you think why I’m doing that?”

Harry paused and grasped Amy’s wrists.

            “Yes, why are you doing that?”

            “To tease you.”

A knowing grin crossed Harry’s lips and he overpowered Amy until she was lying underneath him. Questioningly she looked at him. For a moment he dove into her eyes with his own.

            “Well… maybe to tease _you_ too,” he said and his nose touched hers briefly.

The urge to kiss her had now become overpowering but Harry didn’t dare because he feared her pushing him off of her.

An inexorable prickle was caused in Amy’s body that went from her face to her stomach. Suddenly she felt everything of Harry much more intensely – or did she only imagine it? He was kneeling beside her legs and she felt the material of his trousers rub against her dark tights she was wearing underneath her blue skirt. His thumbs were stroking her palms while she felt his breath caress her face. He was so close that their lips were nearly touching, and she was on the verge of drowning in his eyes.

            “Would you please let go of me?” she asked because she didn’t know what to answer.

Harry nodded and wasn’t sure why his knees were trembling as he rose. Could Amy already have this effect on him, or was he just nervous? The girl rose and looked at her watch.

            “We should go to dinner. You coming?”

            “Sure.”

They headed for the Great Hall and Harry offered her his arm which she gladly took. She pushed her hand through the crook of his arm and looked up at him, giving him an almost shy smile. Harry barely felt his heart pounding because it was beating so fast. Slowly they went up to the castle and crossed the Entrance Hall where some students looked at them. Together they entered the Great Hall and parted with a smile. Amy walked to a seat at the Ravenclaw table and didn’t notice Draco watching her. He seethed inwardly that suddenly Harry was showing interest in the same girl as he did. The Gryffindor wore a happy expression on his face as he sat down beside his friends. Hermione waggled her eyebrows knowingly and smiled to herself. Curious Ron looked from her to Harry.

            “What? What?” he asked.

            “What’s the matter, Ron?“ Harry asked who shoveled baked beans on his plate.

            “You both know something that I don’t.”

            “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hermione said, wearing an ignorant expression.

            “Don’t play dumb.”

            “I just had a nice day,” Harry replied. “If there were something to talk about I’d already done so.”

Ron looked sternly at Harry and gave in.

            “Okay.”

Of course Amy didn’t hear what they were talking about. She enjoyed her dinner and pondered when and how she was going to manage her homework. It was slowing dawning outside and the last red streaks of the sunlight were visible on the enchanted ceiling. She took the last bite of her sausage, got up and headed to the Ravenclaw Tower with her room mates.

Hermione rose earlier than the boys because she wanted to go to the library to look something up before it was closing. That’s why Ron and Harry left the Great Hall without her, heading for the Gryffindor Tower. They were on the second floor when they met Draco Malfoy in the corridor, and they paused. The Slytherin was staring at them sternly and Ron felt provoked just by his look. Harry took hold of his sleeve.

            “What’s the matter, Malfoy?” he asked.

            “Potter, I just want to make something clear. You don’t stand a chance with her and I won’t give her to you,” Draco growled.

Immediately Harry knew what he was talking about and Ron raised an eyebrow questioningly.

            “Well, do you think that scares me? Give me one reason why she’d let herself be put off by you from meeting me,” he said and now Ron realized that they were talking about a girl.

            “You only have fame and honour in mind. With you she’d only earn detention and loose housepoints and moreover, you put Quidditch first. _You’re_ absolutely clueless when it comes to girls,” the Slytherin said.

            “You seem to know me quite well,” Harry said sarcastically. “Do you really think she’d have a reason to date you? There are a lot of reasons why she shouldn’t, and you know exactly what I’m talking about. After all, I know who was present when her parents were killed.”

Draco stared angrily at him. He hated it if someone compared him with his father. It calmed him that Amy knew he wasn’t like him.

In that moment someone came around the corner, gaze lowered searchingly to the ground. It was Amy, and Ron realised surprised and amused that Draco and Harry were blushing faintly which only the Slytherin tried to hide.

            “Oh, I didn’t want to bother you,” Amy said as she looked up and noticed who was standing in the corridor. “I’m just looking for something.”

            “What are you looking for?” Harry and Draco asked simultaneously, and Ron was about to laugh out loud.

He had never imagined that he would witness his friend and foe fancy the same girl and looking so ridiculous at the same time. Both were glaring at each other because they had had the same thought, and Amy was looking away embarrassed.

            “Well, it’s just my earring. I noticed it missing when I was on my way to the Ravenclaw Tower,” she mumbled and pointed to her right ear where the other one was still there. “It must have been loose and seems to have fallen down here somewhere. It belonged to my mother.”

            “Have fun looking for it,” Ron said amused and left them alone.

            “Ron!” Harry shouted bewildered.

He couldn’t leave him alone now with the Slytherin who suddenly stepped darn close to the girl to have a look at the remaining earring to see what he was going to look for.

            “We will find it,” he said, smiling gently at her.

They both looked puzzled at him. Amy because he was so helpful, and Harry because he had never seen the Slytherin smile. It looked so unreal but it made him look suddenly much more human.

            “Stop gawping, Potter. Make yourself useful,” Draco snarled at him and lifted his wand to search the floor with a spell.

            “Don’t tell me what to do, Malfoy,” Harry snapped.

            “Please, boys, do me a favour and go outside if you want to continue bickering,” Amy sighed and went along the corridor.

            “No, I want to help you too,” Harry said and followed her.

            “Thank you.”

Both young men looked daggers at each other behind her back who could have killed them if they were real.

Silently they walked side by side and followed the way Amy had taken from the Great Hall to her tower. Somewhere on the moving staircases Harry found the glittering earring with the help of Draco’s spell.

            “That’s great!” Amy said happily and smiled broadly at them. “Thank you very much for helping me search.”

            She briefly hugged Harry, then Draco and said goodbye to go back to her tower. Both boys looked after her for a moment, smiling, until they turned to each other, glaring.

            “As I told you, Potter, just because she gets along with the both of us doesn’t mean that she’s going to be _your_ girlfriend,” Draco said first.

            “Could you possibly not live with it if she did?” Harry teased him.

            “You wouldn’t survive it if that happened.”

            “Oh, now I’m scared.”

The Gryffindor laughed briefly and marched away. He just thought it ridiculous how the Slytherin was behaving. This was pure jealousy.

 _It seems that it would damage the image of him being the girl’s heartthrob if he can’t make Amy his girlfriend. How mean can someone be? He would just use her_ , he thought and headed for his tower.

The Slytherin stared after him with narrowed eyes and clenched his fists in his cloak pockets, and trudged back to the vaults in the dungeon with a scowl on his face.

 

~*~

It had been storming and raining hard during the night and Amy, who had tried to fall asleep without using the potion as Remus had asked her to, eventually took the Dreamless Draught out of the drawer of her bedside table. Unlike her room mates she could sleep well now and wasn’t anymore afraid of the howling of the wind that was wheezing around the pinnacle.

When Hermione came down into the common room the next morning, she was surprised of the way Harry looked like as he waited for her with Ron. The renewed attempt of taming his hair had failed as usual but he was wearing a blue jumper, he must have found in his trunk after rummaging through it, and black trousers. A dark blue anorak was slung over his arm, and he was leaning casually against the sofa. Hermione was sure that Ron hadn’t noticed this change. Harry was radiating self-confidence, more than usual, as she noticed. He looked very handsome.

            “Good morning, boys,” she said as if she hadn’t noticed anything.

On their way to the Great Hall she nudged Harry’s arm and grinned. He blushed a bit and stroked casually through his hair.

            “I won’t be joining you for Hogsmeade today,” he said.

            “Why not?” Ron asked curiously.

            “Because I have a date.”

            “Really? Hey, mate, that’s cool. And who is it?”

            “Amy,” Harry said.

            “Okay, now I understand what happened yesterday. You’ve been together at the lake, haven’t you?” Ron asked.

Now Hermine looked curious at Harry.

            “How do you know?” the dark-haired boy asked.

            “I saw your broom flying out of our dorm’s window and watched were it was heading. That’s how I spotted you with a girl at the lake.”

            “I see. Yes, it was her,” Harry said imperturbable.

            “Is she different than Cho Chang?” Ron asked, lifting an eyebrow. “You seem to fancy Ravenclaws.”

            “Yes, they’re clever and they know when to stop asking questions,” Harry replied and Hermione was surprised that he was talking like that with Ron.

The redhead turned immediately silent and looked bewildered at him. They entered the Great Hall, which wasn’t crowded because it was Saturday, and walked over to their House table. Amy was already sitting at her table as Harry noticed because she was facing his direction. She was wearing her hair in plaits which made her look quite lovely. He nearly forgot eating and knocked over his goblet with pumpkin juice, but could prevent his good clothes getting dirty.

As they all went into the Entrance Hall, Harry noticed for the first time that there were actually many couples who met for Hogsmeade. However, he had to admit that he hadn’t paid attention to it last year. He walked through the double doors with Ron and Hermione, and looked around the courtyard. He found Amy leaning against the well. She was wearing a brown woollen hat and a dark read trench coat against the wind and rain. Her Ravenclaw scarf didn’t fit in terms of colour, only maybe the bronze colour, but she was wearing it. When Harry spotted her she approached him, smiling.

            “Hello!” she said cheerfully. “This has been a terrible night, hasn’t it? No one in my dorm was able to get a wink of sleep.”

            “Good morning, Amy. Yes, we have been lying awake for a while too.”

 _Well, I had my potion_ , the girl thought and together they joined the students who walked across the courtyard to the gates.

Harry offered Amy his arm which she took gladly. They walked across the long stony bridge, that stretched over the valley like a viaduct, and went past the gate that was flanked by the pillars with the winged boars. On the bridge the wind had been tugging at their hair and nearly got through their jackets, but when they walked down the path to the village, they were surrounded by the trees of the little grove that grew here. In Hogsmeade they first went to _Honeydukes_.

            “I want to restock my inventory,“ Amy said with shining eyes as she stood in front of the full shelf and couldn’t decide what to buy.

In the end she bought a bag of Chocolate Frogs, Ice Mice, Marzipan Sticks and some Sugar Quills. Harry bought some Fizzing Whizzbees and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum that made bluebell-coloured bubbles. As they went outside the wind had got cooler and blew under their anoraks.

            “Let’s hurry over to _Dervish and Banges_ ,” Amy said and grasped Harry’s hand.

Too surprised by the sudden warmth on his hand Harry followed her without giving resistance and entered the shop where magical equipment was sold.

As they entered the owner was busy with a clutch of young Slytherins who wanted to buy an inkpot that could change the colour of its glass at will. Amy needed a new box for her potion ingredients and she found one. After that Harry led her then to _The Three Broomsticks_ because of the cold wind, where they sat down in a quiet corner, ordering butterbeer. Harry was so glad that it was so easy to date Amy. Until now she hadn’t embarrassed him as Cho did in _Madam Puddifoot’s_ and he didn’t think that it would happen at all. Somehow she reminded him of Hermione, though he always had butterflies in his stomach whenever she smiled at him or took his hand.

            “Amy, would you mind waiting five minutes for me?”

            “Not at all,” she said.

Because of his nervousness he had to try out Madam Rosmerta’s latest acquisition – a clean guest bathroom. Smiling Amy looked after him and continued sipping her beer. She eyed the room that was filled partly with students – mostly Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws – and spotted a blond boy who was sitting in a different corner of the house, surrounded by few people of his year. She noticed that he seemed to avoid the company of Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle since the incident at the forest. Thoughtfully Amy rested her chin in her hand.

Since Draco had poured out his heart to her she thought different of him. He really seemed to be serious about not becoming a Death Eater like his father. That had to be the reason that he was now sitting together with Slytherins whose parents were no Death Eaters. For example, Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini.

She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice that Draco had seen her and come over.

            “What is a lovely girl like you doing here without company?” he said, tearing her out of her thoughts.

Amy blinked twice and looked at Draco who simply sat down beside her.

            “Hi, Draco. My company will be back soon,” she said.

            “Next time I’ll better ask you out before you come here with an idiot,” Draco said smugly and gave Amy a sweet smile.

            “Are you talking about me by chance?” came a hard voice from his side and as the Slytherin turned he was looking at the glaring eyes of Harry.

Questioningly, Draco looked at the girl beside him who stared sighing at the table. She knew what was about to come.

            “You’ve come here with _him_?”

            “He asked me and I wanted to. Draco, don’t make a fuss about it. After all it’s my decision with whom I go out,” Amy said, casting a pleading look at Harry to not start a fight with the Slytherin now.

            “It would be kind of you, Malfoy, if you make yourself comfortable somewhere else,” the Gryffindor said and sat down on his seat again.

            “I can sit wherever I want, Potter. That is not your private table.”

            “But your presence disgusts me.”

            “Great. I hope you’ll break out in a rash then and won’t show your face any more in class.”

            “You wish,” Harry hissed and downed his beer.

            “If you two don’t stop arguing like children, I’ll turn you into chickens and cage you at Hagrid’s for the Erklings,” Amy threatened irritatedly.

Slightly shocked the boys looked at her and kept effectively silent for a while – until the Slytherins in the corner rose and approached them slowly. Immediately Draco got up, looked apologetically at Amy, glared at Harry and left the pub with his house mates. Meanwhile Harry’s fingernails clutched the board of the table until the door had closed behind the Slytherins.

            “Oh, I’d like to –” he began.

            “Harry, it would be nice if you don’t start a fight with Draco when I’m present. I know him slightly better than you do and he’s not as mean as you think,” Amy interrupted him.

He looked unbelievingly at her.

            “And what is there to know about him?” he asked scowling.

            “Unfortunately, I can’t tell you. He confided in me.”

            “I don’t understand why you let him get close to you. After all, his father –“

            “– exactly, his father. Not Draco. I had to mull over it too, but Draco is not like his father,” Amy clarified. “You only know him casually, and the side you know of him is the one that hides his innermost being. Everyone has a soft side and some are just hiding it well.”

            “Then he’s the world champion in doing so,” Harry griped.

Smiling, Amy put her hand on his shoulder.

            “He can be really nice, and maybe you’ll find out someday,” she whispered into his ear, sending shivers down his spine.

            “I don’t think so,” he said. “He’s too haughty for that.”

Amy sighed.

 _He’s my rival and I despise him for his haughtiness. I’ll never allow that he continues to pursue Amy_ , Harry thought furious. _She’s a good girl and she shouldn’t be with a bad boy._

            “Come on, let’s finish our beers and walk through the village,” Amy suggested and Harry paid the beer before leaving.

The wind was hitting them full force as they got outside and by walking close to each other the Gryffindor tried to forget his rage for the Slytherin while he enjoyed the proximity of the lovely girl beside him.


	12. Many thoughts, heartache and love

Who can say,

where the road goes

where the day flows

Only time

 

And who can say,

if your love grows,

as your heart chose

Only time

 

Who can say,

when the roads meet,

that love might be in your heart

 

And who can say,

when the day sleeps

if the night keeps all your heart

 

Only time...

The Hogsmeade weekend still turned out nice for Harry and Amy and they weren’t disturbed again by Draco at their date. In the evening the Gryffindor accompanied the girl to her tower.

            “It’s been a very nice day, Harry,” Amy said, hugging him gratefully.

Surprised but happy he returned her hug and held her close for a moment. He wondered if she could hear his heartbeat. He would have liked to stay like this forever and he wanted to pull her close again as she withdrew and the ghost of her breath caressed his cheek. He stood there besotted, even when the entrance of the Ravenclaw Tower had already closed. With a smile of any normal lunatic who was in love, he walked upstairs to the Gryffindor Tower and sank down on the sofa in the common room, sighing and staring up at the ceiling.

 

~*~

A couple of days later – it was shortly after the full moon – there was a note at the notice board in all common rooms that the Halloween Feast was going to be a Ball where everyone could dress up as something. Until then it was only one and a half week and everyone pondered what costume to take. Especially the girls were populating the corridors giggling and the boys were trying hard to find a date for the Ball. One could have assumed that Harry and Draco were trying for Amy but the girl didn’t meet them for a while. One evening, as she was sitting in the garden surrounding the greenhouses, she realised what she had become fond of in the last days. She was quite confused what the boys wanted from her and whether they were really fighting over her, but since the date with Harry and meeting him afterwards more often, she had realised that she needed his proximity. His presence calmed her, and when she was with Draco she felt desirable.

 _And whom shall I choose for the Ball?_ , she thought, ruffling her hair.

At that moment she didn’t know that she wasn’t alone in the garden. Not in far away from her, Draco was relaxing with a book, whose content he couldn’t quite understand, in a cozy corner hidden in a pavilion. He was too lost in his jealous thoughts to actually read the book. Irritated he put it aside and rested his head in his hand.

_It’s not normal having nightmares about him snatching my girl away. Oh, why’s it just so complicated? If father hadn’t killed her parents she’d put more trust in me but now I have to be bothered by that **and** Potter._

When he heard a voice calling someone, he pricked up his ears.

            “Harry! Harry! Please don’t run! Just one more shot.”

_Creevey and Potter, that’s the last thing I needed._

In the next moment, Harry was standing in the pavilion and staring at him because he hadn’t expected Draco to be here. The Slytherin glared at him.

            “What the hell! I was resting here first! I can’t relax with you here! Get the hell out of here –“

            “ – HARRY!” Colin shouted.

            “Shh! Be quiet!” Harry whispered resolutely and covered Draco’s mouth and nose with his hand to smother his voice.

            “Mmmmpf!” escaped the Slytherin as his air supply was cut off.

After a while Colin’s shouting subsided.

            “Guess he’s gone,” Harry mumbled to himself.

Because Draco made a choking noise, he immediately let go and stared at him.

            “Ah, sorry. Wh-what are you doing –“

            “What are _you_ doing, Potter? Don’t you know that people can’t breathe if you cover their mouth and nose at the same time?” Draco said angry, gasping for air.

            “Well, I wasn’t planning to do it,” Harry said sheepishly. “Until you freaked out. I was just trying to keep you quiet.”

            “Potter,” Draco said, looking strangely at the Gryffindor for a moment.

            “Malfoy?”

            “Don’t touch me!”

He tore away from the boy and took hold of his book.

            “You can’t say that you just 'carelessly' cut off my air supply, can you? It certainly didn’t look like an accident. I think you might have intended it. If anyone else had seen you near me, they’d have certainly thought so too. If you’re going to do things like that, at least do them more skillfully,” Draco said and walked away.

 _What a prick…._ , Harry thought. _But his lips… were warm… and soft, even a guy like him… I wonder…._ _what on earth he was saying now. Merlin, what am I thinking here?_

He jumped when he heard Colin shout again for him.

            “Harry!” Colin shouted and ran into Draco. “Hey, you didn’t see Harry around here, did you? I’m looking for him.”

 _Ah, I guess this is the end of the line for me_ , Harry thought sighing.

            “You’re asking _me_ about one of _your_ friends?” Draco snarled. “Why in the world would I be anywhere within ten feet of Potter? There’s your answer. Now buzz off!”

That was how he left Colin, who was looking around feeling intimidated and leaving the garden as well. Bewildered Harry looked after the Slytherin.

 _He covered for me? No, I bet he just didn’t want anyone to think the two of us were together_ , he thought. _But something seems different than usual. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen Malfoy up-close before. The pale colour of his eyes and his hair was really quite lovely though it would be nicer if he held that sarcastic tongue of his. Harry, you’re thinking rubbish again._

He felt a hot shiver run down his spine when he suddenly saw Amy appear from somewhere in the garden, approaching Draco. How surprised was he as he got to see his smile, devoid of all haughtiness and sarcasm, just plain honest. He had never imagined to see if it was true that Draco could smile like that but now he felt that it touched him deeply.

 

Amy was delighted to meet Draco in the garden. She had seen Harry on his flight from Colin, running  past her without seeing her as she had been so well hidden. Draco offered her his arm and on their way into the castle he asked her if she wanted to go with him to the Ball.

            “I’d like to,” she said.

            “What costume will you wear?” Draco asked, holding the door open for her.

            “I still don’t know. Probably something that is not girlish.”

            “Well, I’m looking forward to it.”

For it was time for dinner, they went into the Great Hall. They parted inside as much as Draco would have liked to sit next to Amy. He didn’t want to cause rumours among the Slytherins and make Pansy jealous. But since the incident at the forest they hadn’t been talking to each other at all. Thoughtfully, Harry had followed them and met Remus in the corridor.

            “Hello, Harry, how are you? Did you enjoy the last warm hours outside?” he asked.

            “Yes,” he replied and wondered how Remus knew that he had been outside.

Probably the smell of the fresh wind was sticking to his clothes and Remus could smell it.

            “How are you feeling now after the full moon?”

            “Quite well. Amy’s often visiting me. No time to get bored,” Remus said, eyeing briefly the boy’s face.

Curiosity was visible in his eyes. That was why Remus elaborated impishly.

            “I noticed that she’s sighing a lot. Did something happen?”

He hoped that his speculation was right and that Harry could put two and two together.

            “No, I have no idea,” the Gryffindor said gruffly, who thought that Remus had noticed that Amy was seen with Draco too.

            “Oh,” Remus just said and changed the topic. “Well, let’s go to dinner.”

 

The next day – while the students were having breakfast and the post was coming – Harry noticed that there was post for Malfoy too. He just went past the table of the Slytherins and the blond wasn’t sitting far away, so he could hear him talking to his classmates. Ron and Hermione glanced over as well. Draco had unwrapped a package and was holding something shiny in his hand which they couldn’t discern.

            “My father sent it to me for Halloween,” he said and Daphne was leaning forward astonished to have a closer look.

            “Why’s he talking in that loud voice? Again with the 'Father',” Ron griped. “Somehow I think 'Papa' or 'Dad' would be more fitting.”

They sat down at their House table and put toast and beans on their plates.

            “Well, maybe his father’s part of the problem, you never know. 'My father’s a Death Eater, so I’m going to be a Death Eater too',” Hermione said and thought of Amy’s words. “It may be his father who’s pressuring him into that behaviour… Anything the father does, the son follows. Perhaps if the father was a better person, Malfoy would be a better child, don’t you think?”

            “Never,” Ron said. “You know what his father did to Amy’s parents. Can you imagine him being a good person? It’s impossible, isn’t it?”

            “I guess so.”

Silently Harry was listening to his friends while watching Draco.

_Malfoy’s father… Lucius Malfoy. I haven’t seen him since the last encounter in the Department of Mysteries. Unbelievable that he could escape from Askaban. It’s been a long time but shortly before my fourth year I saw Draco and his family at the Quidditch World Cup and he looked like he was having so much fun sitting there between his mother and father._

In front of his inner eye he could now see father and son facing each other.

_Those two faces, obviously tied by whatever dark blood binds them, for some reason, it made my blood run cold. But I don’t think that there was an ounce of jealousy in it._

He thought of Draco’s words he had already spoken in this haughty voice at the age of fourteen.

_'These special seats are reserved for the highest-class families. Have fun watching from the nosebleed section.'_

_He grates my inferiority complex_ , Harry thought. _To me, it’s like he’s always there just for that reason. Still, if he was broken, his lineage, his money and his pride were all taken away I wonder what would happen to Malfoy? Could he have survived in my position? I’m sure he couldn’t have. He’s a spoiled_ _little rich kid who does_ _whatever he pleases. At the moment it’s about a girl and I have to admit that we both started to like her without knowing about the other. I’d rather he wouldn’t pursue her._

He ate some toast, then rose slowly from his seat and took his bag. He did so because Draco rose too.

_Just once I’d like to say something to him to turn the tables, though. I’m sure that returning his jibes just once wouldn’t be near enough._

The corners of his mouth created a smirk.

            “Harry, your face is positively frightening! What are you thinking about?” Hermione asked sternly.

            “Eh? Really?” Harry asked, feeling uncomfortable that he could be read like an open book. “It’s nothing. I’ve to go back. I forgot my History textbook.“

As he approached the double doors of the Great Hall he saw Malfoy leaving with Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass. To reach the greenhouses, one had to take a flight on the Moving Staircase and walk along a corridor and go down another flight of stairs to get into the garden. It had been quite complicated to keep the way in mind when Harry had been a first year student, and he often had been very late with Ron.

Lost in thought Draco followed Blaise and Daphne to the stairs.

_There’s no way that we could share Amy. Why am I agonising over what Potter does if she becomes my girlfriend? Ah… probably because Amy likes him the same as me. I really think she’s just taking pity on me. However… she wants to help me and I don’t only like her because she’s lovely. She’s clever and with Potter or me she’d… No, never! I’d wring his neck if I ever find him doing something with her. I could… Argh!_

            “What the…!” Draco swore because he had slipped through one of the trick stairs with his foot. “Blaise, Daph…”

_Why aren’t they waiting for me? How lame, getting trapped in a vanishing step becauce I was busy thinking about Potter. If someone were to see me in a position like this… Luckily the most students are still at breakfast._

Seconds later Harry arrived at the staircase where Draco had slipped and was grinning at seeing him. It had a certain something seeing the Slytherin lying at his feet.

“Want me to help you?” he asked with studied politeness.

“Potter!” Draco exclaimed horrified, turning his head towards him.

 _I must confess I like him looking horrified at me_ , Harry thought.

            “You only have to say a word,” he said. “Come on, you can’t get out by yourself.”

            “I’m fine! I’ll figure out something on my own! I don’t need someone like you to help me. So hurry up and shove off,” Draco growled.

            “Would it be so humiliating to let me help you?”

Harry leant down to him.

            “If that’s really the case, I’m actually kind of glad.”

            “You bastard!” the Slytherin bristled with anger.

            “So, that’s it? You’re so easy to read. It’s about time I could get you back for all the trouble you’ve caused,” the Gryffindor said, putting his arms underneath Draco’s.

Because he was stuck in a vanishing step he was considerably smaller than usual and Harry could lean down easily to his ear.

            “What are you thinking? Tell me. If you tell me, I won’t tell anyone else about it,” he whispered.

_I’ve got a feeling that Malfoy’s been troubled by something lately. Probably because we are interested in the same girl._

            “About you, Potter,” Draco whispered.

Harry was startled.

            “Eh? Me?”

_Is he stupid or is there anything in my ears?_

            “About how you’re going to torture me next, is that what’s on your mind?” Harry asked. “Maybe what curses you’re going to use on me next?”

He had helped the other boy out of the step but Draco was looking somewhere else than at him.

            “Malfoy?”

_Something’s definitely not alright here. Aren’t we supposed to argue? Why am I feeling so hot?_

With a confused and pained expression the Slytherin looked at him and broke away from Harry.

            “Wha-? Malfoy!” Harry shouted and caught the sleeve of his cloak.

_What was that just now? What happened to his usual conceited attitude?_

            “Let go of me, Potter!” Draco snapped at him, tearing at his sleeve.

_Why’s that Gryffindor so clingy?_

The Slytherin was looking wildly at him and noticed belatedly that Harry’s hand came to a rest on his shoulder. What happened afterwards wasn’t comprehensible to the Gryffindor as well. He didn’t know why he did it but he put his other arm around Draco’s waist and kissed him deeply. Maybe to soothe him or to stop him looking so pained. Maybe he just did it because of the heat of the moment.

When he pulled back the Slytherin stared at him as confused as he did. They were both bewildered and shocked.

            “Why?!” Harry asked first.

            “Wh-what do you mean 'why'!?” Draco asked indignantly, blushing. “That’s what _I_ want to know!! Don’t screw with me! What’s the meaning of this?”

Totally confused Harry ran away, leaving him alone.

He couldn’t make heads or tails of it the whole day what had overcome him to kiss Draco. If Ron and Hermione were to find it out, Ron would at least go berserk and Hermione would wonder what his declaration of love for Amy meant.

Amy.

How was he supposed to look her in the eye now? He felt like a fraud. To salve his conscience he went to look for her in the library after dinner. He was lucky. She was occupying a table on her own, writing. Instead of finding textbooks he read titles like _Dress Spells for Dummies_ or _Professional Usage of Colours_. He wondered what she needed them for. As he paused beside her she looked up and hid the parchment under the table. Slightly anxious she looked at him.

            “Hello, Harry. How are you?”

She gave him the crooked smile he liked so much.

            “I’m fine. I wanted to ask you something. Would you like going with me to the Ball?“

            “Oh, I…well, yes.”

_Doesn’t matter if I go with two boys. There are no rules._

            “What will be your disguise?” she asked.

            “Not telling you,” Harry said mysteriously.

            “Okay, me neither,” Amy said grinning. “I’m working on my costume at the moment.”

            “Well, then I don’t want to bother you any longer. Goodnight.”

            “Goodnight, Harry,” she said smiling at him.

The Gryffindor raised his hand smiling as well and left the library.

 _That went quite well. Now I have to figure out_ why _I kissed that Malfoy git. However, it wasn’t like it felt horrible._

He went up to his tower and couldn’t find sleep easily that night and as soon as he did a certain Slytherin sneaked into his dreams. That night seemed to drag on but not only for him because Draco was lying awake as well. After Harry had left he had been standing on that staircase completely befuddled until he had pulled himself together again and run to his class. He was thinking about what had happened too, and he wanted to wring Harry’s neck for confusing him like that.

 

As Hermione came down into the common room the next morning, she noticed Harry having red-rimmed eyes and was yawning quite often.

            “Haven’t you slept well, Harry?” she asked worried after they had sat down at the table in the Great Hall.

            “I’m fine, Hermione,” he mumbled and saw Malfoy heading to the Slytherin table.

It was visible that he had blotched eyes as well, though he was able to glare at Harry across the hall. The Gryffindor had not found an answer to his behaviour, however. He put the blame on the heat of the moment and that Draco had looked so different.

_I’m not the only one who’s messed up, am I? I have to settle that with Malfoy._

Of course, Draco was confused as well and he hoped that there would never be a moment like yesterday again. He knew whom his heart belonged to and he shouldn’t lose sight of her.

_But why did Potter kiss me when it looks like he’s interested in Amy?_

He wanted to think about it later. Now he had to go to Care of Magical Creatures with the Ravenclaws and that class was going to be pleasant simply because of one certain person.

After breakfast he waited for Amy outside and they walked to the grounds. Harry who had two free periods went again upstairs to the Gryffindor Tower and sat down on a window sill in his dormitory, watching Hagrid’s hut with field glasses. Students of Slytherin and Ravenclaw were just gathering around it. Of course, he felt like a voyeur – he was lucky that his room-mates weren’t here – but he had to see what was happening in that class. When he saw Draco and Amy standing close to each other, he seethed inwardly. Maybe he was just jealous because the Slytherin treated the girl so nice and he always only incured the Slytherin’s wrath. For a moment he wished that he was getting along with him too.

_What did Hermione say? Amy trusts Malfoy but she doesn’t trust anyone. If she trusts the person whose father murdered her family, then there has to be more behind it. Maybe Malfoy’s not half bad._

Sullenly he continued watching as Hagrid started the class and Draco sat down with Amy to study one of the new dangerous animals. They had a good laugh and seemed to have the best time of their life. Harry stopped watching after an hour. Frustrated he flung the field glasses on his pillow and himself on the duvet.

_It was a bad idea spying on them. Now I don’t feel better at all. I have to talk to Malfoy. Maybe we should duel? Hm, wouldn’t be a good idea if Amy finds out._

He took his timetable and realised that he was soon to be expected at Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. There he could take the opportunity and sit down next to said girl. After dinner there was supposed to be the threat of the day – Double Potions with the Slytherins.

_Well, this is going to be fun._

 

Two hours later he was sitting next to Amy and she told him willingly what they had learned in Hagrid’s class. However, she didn’t mention that she had worked together with Draco.

_To be friends with the both of us, she seems to keep it secret that she’s spending time with the other respectively. Amy, isn’t it hard for you?_

He tried to imagine how it would be if Hermione and Ron were at odds with each other and he were meeting them secretly without the knowledge of the other just to get along with both. It would be terrible for him and he had already experienced something like that in third year. He was admiring Amy for doing this since the beginning of the school year and probably she would do so her whole life if nothing changed. That was the reason why Harry started to picture how it would be to be friends with Malfoy and he catechised Amy why she trusted the Slytherin. Now he knew she was keeping a secret of him but she assured Harry that it was worth to give Draco a chance.

            “It would be really… nice if you… could get along with each other,” she said softly, lowering her gaze. “But it’s been already like this for seven years now and you can’t make up overnight. I understand that.”

 

He was still thinking about it at lunch when he saw Draco going over to the Ravenclaw table, bending down to Amy and talking to her.

Later, while attending Double Potions and staring at the Slytherin’s back, strange thoughts shaped in his head. Draco noticed the Gryffindor’s stare as he opened his ingredients chest and looked briefly at him.

            “Potter, stop staring. You make people wonder what is going through your head and I definitely don’t want to know it,” he hissed and Harry blushed as he wondered what the others could think.

 _Harry, you are kinky_ , he reprimanded himself and stirred absent-mindedly his Draught of Peace which didn’t look as white as it was supposed to be.

It was yellow.

Hermione poked him and gave him her leftover lacewing flies so he could rescue his potion before Snape noticed his mistake. At the end of the lesson he had managed an acceptable draught, but he knew that Snape was going to give him a P anyway. As soon as the bell rang everybody got up and packed their bags. Hermione and Harry left the dungeons in a rush and met Amy on their way who came from the Moving Staircases. She smiled at them and vanished down the stairs to the vaults.

 _Probably meeting Malfoy again_ , Harry thought but he was wrong for the Slytherin went up the staircases and disappeared on the fourth floor where he and Hermione were going to attend Arithmancy.

            “See you later, Harry,” Hermione said, beckoning at him as he went upstairs to the Gryffindor Tower.

 _Where did she go?_ , Harry wondered. _She hasn’t gone to Snape, has she?_

But she had because she had agreed with him to get his help for her homework. They were doing this now already for a couple of weeks and it helped Amy very much. She had found out cleverly how to get the answers from Severus so that she didn’t have to ponder about a homework too long. When he noticed, he would look at her sternly and then she would laugh. Sometimes he smiled as well and she thought it made him look much nicer.

            “You should smile more often,” she said each time.

            “Then I’ll get even more wrinkles,” he would answer and Amy had to laugh harder.

Of course, Harry couldn’t imagine her being here, doing homework without interruption with her godfather’s boyfriend. Today she wanted to hurry a bit, not because it was cold in the dungeons – no, it was always warm in Severus’ quarters – but because she wanted to do something else.

 

After he and Ron had kept himself busy with homework a fairly long time, Harry watched the Slytherins from a window on their way to Quidditch practice. As captain he knew when every team had booked the stadium and tomorrow it would be Gryffindor’s turn. He watched Draco thoughtfully, who was captain as well, chase his team across the field while practising with the Quaffle.

_Does it look as agonising when I train the Gryffindors?_

            “Ron, do you think our practices are too hard?”

            “Nope, why? We have to train adamantly to win the Quidditch Cup,” the redhead replied.

At that moment Hermione entered the common room. Her bag was floating in front of her, probably stuffed with a couple of new books from the library, approaching them.

            “Hi, boys. Have you already started with the homework for Transfiguration?” she asked.

            “Finished,” Ron said proudly while Harry was still staring out of the window.

            “Wow! You amaze me!” she said and patted Ron’s shoulder.

Harry tore his gaze from the stadium and put his equipment in his bag.

            “I’ll be outside for a while,” he said and went up to his dormitory.

            “Lately, he’s a bit strange. So pensive,” Ron mumbled.

            “Hm, a girl could be behind his behaviour,” Hermione said.

            “You think it’s Amy?”

            “Most likely.”

 

Harry came downstairs again after a while. He was now wearing his winter cloak and crossed the room, lost in thoughts. His hands were buried in his pockets, and then he disappeared through the hole in the wall.

            “He’s about to do something,” Ron whispered to Hermione.

            “Yes, I agree with that.”

That he was walking along the corridors and went past Remus, Harry didn’t notice at all. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that the nice werewolf stared after him suspiciously. His way led outside. It had become cold. It was the end of October after all. The sun would be setting in an hour because it was already quite low in the sky. Harry took the path that led to the lake and then turned right to head to the stadium. Waiting under a tree, hidden from the Slytherins, because they didn’t like it as well if other team members watched their training, he watched them until he couldn’t see their brooms in the air anymore. It was half past five when the first members of the team left the stadium.

            “I’ll go ahead, Draco,” said Jack Vaisey, one of the Chasers who was still in the changing room with the captain.

            “Okay, I’ll be along in a bit,” the blond said, who was sitting on a bench, taking off his chaps. “See you later.”

            “Later!”

Draco was now alone for everybody had left and because he still had some time he didn’t hurry with changing until he suddenly noticed a shadow cast next to him. His head jerked to the door and he met the brilliant green eyes of Harry.

            “P-Potter!” he exclaimed surprised. “This is the Slytherin changing room.”

_Damn, what’s he doing here?_

With his hands still casually hidden in his pockets, the Gryffindor entered and looked around.

            “I know that. But I thought you might be here, so I came to see you,” he said calmly. “Practice is already over, isn’t it? I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

He approached the Slytherin in the blink of an eye and bent down.

            “You’re eyes really are red,” he said and let go of Draco’s chin which he had grasped.

            “Don’t come so close!” the Slytherin snapped, pushing him away.

            “What? You have always got close enough to say nasty things to me before,” Harry replied. “Are you really that sensitive to me?”

            “Wha-? Aren’t you flattering yourself, Potter?!” Draco asked, looking up at him because he was still sitting. “I have absolutely no int-”

            “You know,” Harry interrupted. “Even today I haven’t looked at anything but you… and Amy. That I look at her is normal, but I certainly haven’t any reason to think of you. But in spite of myself… I found my eyes following your every move. Even now I don’t want to acknowledge it, but I can’t help that I’ve become interested in you. Is it different for you?” he asked, sitting down next to the Slytherin whose eyes widened. “Malfoy?”

 _When I touched his lips and couldn’t help but ask “Why?” I wasn’t asking about the kiss_ , Harry thought with a determined expression on his eyes.

            “I…” he started again. “Thought about it for a while and I think that my body has just come to realise what my head and heart were too slow to.”

_If he hit me now, I’d accept it._

Suddenly he leaned forward and came so close to the other boy that the Slytherin bent to the opposite direction.

            “I want to hug you,” Harry whispered and suddenly touched his forehead against Draco’s collarbone, so the Slytherin couldn’t avoid noticing the scent of his hair.

It was going way too fast for the blond. Petrified, he held his breath. Like frozen he sat there and squinted his eyes. He didn’t know what to do. This was so surreal. After all, it didn’t happen every day that his archenemy talked to him like that. But it wasn’t unpleasant to hear that Harry offered him something like a truce, though it was more.

_What’s he saying? How can he say this to me? How dare he?_

He trembled as Harry put his arms slowly around him and lifted his head to look questioningly at him. The eyes of the Slytherin widened. Then Harry’s lips found Draco’s neck and the dark-haired boy could hear his own blood rushing in his ears. His brain had nearly completely shut down.

            “Stop it!” Draco urged in panic and put his hands on Harry’s shoulders in the feeble attempt to push him away.

            “Unless you can say you hate it like you mean it, I’m not going to stop,” Harry said against his lips and suddenly kissed him.

 _I hate him! I hate him!_ , Draco’s mind screamed but his body language was different.

He lifted his hands to Harry’s neck to pull him flush against him. Even the Gryffindor was surprised at this reaction and this moment would have been lengthened if there hadn’t been an unexpected muffled cry in the room. They separated immediately and looked startled to the door of the changing room. Amy was standing there half agape. First she turned white in the face, then tears sprang to her eyes.

            “Why?! Why’s everyone I like gay?” she whimpered and ran preciptiously away.

            “Shit!” both boys swore and they scrambled as fast as they could – Harry was faster because Draco was still not wearing his shoes – to their feet and rushed after the Ravenclaw.

Harry caught up with Amy under a willow and put his arms around her waist to make her stop running. She was now sobbing quietly and slowly the Gryffindor turned her around.

_Why was she suddenly there? Was she supposed to meet Draco?_

            “Amy,” he said gently, stroking her back. “I can assure you that I’m not gay.”

            “And why did you kiss Draco?,” she asked in a shaky voice.

            “I’d like to know too,” the Slytherin added as he joined them under the willow, offering Amy a handkerchief.

            “Why? You kissed him back,” Amy said visibly confused and dried her tears.

            “Well…” Draco mumbled embarrassed.

The blush that had risen in his cheeks suited him exquisitely.

            “I don’t understand. I thought you hate each other or at least you can’t stand each other,” the girl said.

            “You have a point,” Harry replied. “Honestly, I can’t explain.”

Like a picture of misery Amy looked from Harry to Draco who didn’t want to look at each other, although their eyes were always glancing to and fro.

            “I get the feeling that there is a fine line between love and hate between the of both of you,” she whispered and felt her heart breaking. “I don’t think I can bear that.”

She sunk to her knees and put her hands on the grass. Questioningly, Draco and Harry looked at each other and knelt down beside her.

            “It’s not like we’re dating or something,” Harry tried to give a solution for the problem.

Draco glared at him. He had now understood what Amy way implying. Gently, he took her hand in his.

            “We argue because we like you and I have to admit that I don’t want you to ditch me because of him,” he admitted and Amy gave him a surprised look.

            “I don’t intend to do so,” she said. “It just hurts because I like you both very much. I know secrets of you and I’m glad to know that you are kind people. At least to me. I’ve been fascinated by you for a long time.”

Amy’s cheeks had turned a nice shade of pink now and the boy’s ears pricked up.

            “I…” she began and didn’t know how to go on because fresh tears were stinging in her eyes. “Ah, why do I have to cry now? I hate to cry.”

Draco stroked soothingly her cheek and kissed her softly on the lips which rattled her.

            “What? Wh-why?” she stammered and Harry lifted an eyebrow. “I thought you and him and…”

            “Thankfully I can answer that question,” Draco said. “I love you. Not since yesterday or today but since the day I realised _who_ you are.”

            “Great, Malfoy. Why didn’t you tell me _before_ I kissed you?” Harry complained.

Because Draco didn’t know an answer, he only glared at the Gryffindor.

            “Well, Amy…” Harry said sheepishly. “Since I got to learn more about you I want to say that you are an amazing girl. I’m not good with words to describe my feelings but I know that I love you too.”

A pained smile crossed Amy’s lips.

            “You both really confuse me. First, you’re snogging each other, and you probably would have continued if I hadn’t interrupted, and now you’re confessing your love for me,” she said sighing.

            “Potter, you really could have contained yourself,” Draco said annoyed. “And what’s that now that you love her? She can’t date us at the same time.”

Harry clenched his fists and tried to ignore the Slytherin.

            “Amy, let me try to explain. Of course, I noticed that you and Malfoy get along with each other and that’s why I tried to understand why you trust him. We already talked about that. Well, then I thought about it for a while, how it would be if there was a truce, so you wouldn’t be so torn between us and while I thought about it, I liked the idea of trying to offer Draco a truce.”

Silently the Slytherin and the Ravenclaw looked at him. First of all to understand what he was trying to say and then because he had called Draco by his first name.

            “So, and that’s why you had to kiss me?” the Slytherin growled.

            “You didn’t resist at all,” Harry replied snottily.

            “And why did you kiss him in general?” Amy asked who tried to organise the whole chaos in her head.

            “Because… because…” Harry stammered.

            “Yes?” the other two asked.

            “I think because I always found him interesting.”

            “Oh,” Amy said and Draco blushed crimson, averting his gaze. “Well, can I have some time to think about it? I mean you both are in love with me but on the other hand you fancy each other too. I’ve never heard anything more confusing and I don’t know how to deal with it. I’m too confused to handle that. But I think it’s really sweet, Harry, that you thought about coming to terms with Draco,” the girl said.

            “Sweet?” the boys asked in unison.

Amy nodded and suddenly she touched her head because an acute pain surged through it. As she came to her feet again, intending to go to Madam Pomfrey, she slumped down and Draco and Harry took hold of her in startled surprise.

            “Amy, what’s the matter?” the blond asked worried, eyeing her face.

            “She’s burning up,” Harry said who had checked her forehead.

            “Infirmary,” Amy whispered. “Remus.”

Only Harry understood whom she meant because Draco didn’t know that Remus was her godfather. Without further ado the blond took the girl on his arms and looked at Harry.

            “Okay, Potter, I accept your offer of truce and now we’ll take Amy to the hospital wing. I wonder what’s the matter with her,” he said sternly and started walking. “Was it too much for her?”

            “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Harry exhaled deeply and followed him. He hadn’t even received a black eye which he was relieved about, but why Amy was suddenly looking so ill worried him as well. On the second floor they parted and Harry pounced on Remus in his office where he was grading tests. Meanwhile, the Slytherin had taken the girl to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey scurried to them immediately and ordered him to put Amy on one of the empty beds. Then she used a blue spell on the weak Ravenclaw which went across her body like a scanner, showing the diagnosis in blue letters hovering over her stomach.

            “An overdose of Dreamless Draught?” she asked Amy indignantly who was looking at her with her eyes half open.

            “Don’t shout at her,” Draco complained who used his entitlement as a Head Boy to interfere.

            “Do you know where she got it?”

            “No idea.”

Guiltily, Amy averted her gaze but when she heard the door of the room open she turned her head to see Harry and Remus enter.

            “Oh, Professor Lupin, it’s good to see you. Maybe you’ll find out where she got the Dreamless Draught. She’s suffering from an overdose,” Madam Pomfrey said.

            “Well, I know that Professor Snape gave it to her,” Remus said sternly, sitting down on Amy’s bed. “Thank you, Draco, for bringing her here. I think that you and Harry should leave now. You might come back later and see her again.”

Pleadingly Amy looked at the boys, asking them to stay, but Harry just smiled and Draco left too. As soon as they had left and the door was shut, the Gryffindor took something out of his bag.

            “There you are. Extendable Ears. Very good for eavesdroping,” he said, handing Draco one.

            “Where did you get those?”

            “From George and Fred Weasley’s joke shop.”

Draco looked sceptically at the ear and before he remembered him being Head Boy, he put the ear against the door to eavesdrop.

            “You were supposed to give the draught back to Professor Snape when the week is over. Now there’s too much in your blood that you have become addicted,” they heard Remus say. “That’s why your head is aching. Your body wants more.”

            “So what? I’m not the only one in the world who’s addicted. There are so many people who are addicted to alcohol, drugs and cigarettes,” Amy complained stubbornly. “Do you have dreams like I do? No. If so you’d comprehend why I continued taking the potion.”

            “Amy, don’t be so reckless for your own sake. This potion has bad after-effects in the long run.”

            “What do you think I am here for?”

            “Why’s she using that tone with him?” Draco whispered.

            “They’re very close. Professor Lupin is her godfather,” Harry replied.

            “Really?”

            “Yes.”

            “Gross.”

Harry grinned, because he had amazed Draco Malfoy for the first time, and continued eavesdroping.

            “I want to sleep,” Amy whispered.

            “Alright, but I’ll make sure that your potion is handed over to me, and Madam Pomfrey will take care that you get a withdrawal treatment. You want to be fit for Halloween, don’t you?”, Remus said, stroking the head of his goddaughter.

            “I will never make it until Halloween. It’s due in ten days.”

            “Everything will be alright. Even your dreams,” her godfather said and got up.

Disbelievingly, Amy looked at Remus who talked to Madam Pomfrey before her went to the door. Draco and Harry had already stepped back from the door and were leaning against the opposite wall as he left the infirmary.

            “And?” Harry asked. “How’s she? Will she be alright?”

            “I think you already overheard that,” Remus said, winking.

Harry gave him an innocent smile.

            “When are we allowed to see her?” Draco asked and his professor eyed him thoughtfully.

            “You better go to dinner now and later you can come back here about eight o’clock. She needs to sleep now.”

            “Okay,” Harry said.

He turned around and headed for the Great Hall. Draco and Remus followed him, and the werewolf tried to figure out the intentions of the Slytherin. He had already been told that Harry and he had been not far away from Amy as she collapsed. Harry hadn’t told him what happened before that. He only needed to know where Amy had been before she had to be taken to the hospital wing.

Sitting at the Gryffindor table he told his friends what happened to the Ravenclaw and served them the same story. First, he had to digest what had happened this very afternoon. He kissed Draco, addressed him by his first name, declared his love to Amy, then he was able to form a truce with the Slytherin and he had emerged unscathed from this situation.

_If this continues I’ll go crazy. All these confusing thoughts can’t be brought to a common denominator and calm down so I can think more clearly. The most crazy thing is now that I don’t regret kissing Malfoy._

            “Harry, is everything okay? You’ve been staring at the Slytherin table the whole time,” Hermione said.

            “No, nothing’s okay,” he snapped overstressed.

_I love Amy and I kissed Malfoy and now I’m totally confused._

            “It’s alright, Hermione. I’m doing fine,” he added more calmly as he saw her hurt expression.

He left the table earlier than usual. His friends looked worried after him and Hermione tried to explain to Ron why Harry was behaving the way he did. The dark-haired boy had walked outside and sat down on the edge of the fountain in the courtyard, looking thoughtfully up to the dark sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everybody who left kudos or subscribed. I still haven't received any comments yet but I guess those who follow like the story. :)


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